


Reminiscing the Past

by niennavalier



Series: Reminiscing the Past [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, During and Post Season 4, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Magic Induced Amnesia, Romance, coke and mentos, i'm putting it anyway, occasional humor, okay so that happens once but whatever, one of my earliest fics, tragic backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-02-21 20:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2481002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niennavalier/pseuds/niennavalier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taylor has faced hardships in the past, and she had hoped that maybe this chapter of her life could be different. However, tragedy strikes and it seems all will never be well until someone arrives, offering to take away the grief. Opening up has only caused pain, but then how does he make it seem so tempting to try again? Set during the Waking the Dragons arc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cruel and Unhappy Endings

**Author's Note:**

> This was actually the first fanfiction I ever wrote, posted on my account on another website. I have 9 of the 11 chapters edited and up already, so those will probably be updated pretty quickly until I get to the current chapter. Hopefully its not too awful, though I will always appreciate criticism or comments.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters, only my OCs and their stories.

            A bright, lazy afternoon sun shone down, bouncing its rays across the peaceful Seine River, offering promises of a hopeful summer, one filled with happy memories. But they were empty promises. False promises, meant only to be broken in the cruelest of manners.

            The waters of the river rushed and rippled before me, slightly dampening the riverbank’s stone path upon which I sat. Seemingly alone, I flipped through a deck of worn Duel Monsters card, memories flooding in through my fingertips and knowing that anybody could descend the steps to the pathway, unlikely though it was. After all, I truly was on my own, the city having emptied for Parisians and students alike to escape the city and enjoy the last few weeks of summer break with those they loved. A privilege I would never again get to enjoy thanks to them.

            A fat drop of water, too large to have originated form the river, fell, glittering, onto the cards as the running waters and the blood pounding in my ears drowned out the sound of an approaching motorcycle and the subsequent muffled footsteps. “Everythin’ alright?” a voice came directly from my left. I gasped, caught entirely off guard, hastily wiping a hand across my cheek to hide my emotions and jumping to my feet, nearly tripping on my nearby backpack. Impulsively, I stuffed the valued cards into my back pocket while snatching my own deck box from the ground.

            Quickly, I regained my composure. “Yeah, but who are you to ask?”

            “Name’s Valon,” he answered warmly, thick Australian accent oddly comforting in a way I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

            “Taylor Fairfax,” I introduced myself, still understandably cautious in my opinion. After all, why would this Valon even care to inquire about me, someone he has surely never met?

            “Saw ya lookin’ at some cards,” he changed course, eying both my deck box and the stack of cards in my pocket. “They yours?”

            “These are,” I answered, intentionally vague, holding up the deck box and leaving out an explanation for the remainder of the cards. It was the honest truth; I just wasn’t about to disclose deeply personal information to someone who might not know the meaning of compassion.

            “You know ‘ow ta play?” Light sapphire blue eyes sparkled curiously with a childlike wonder.

            “Well enough I guess. I only learned it just over a year ago from Corey…” I cut off, finding a weight suddenly constrict my throat, making it harder to breathe. These wounds still felt too new to even try to explore.

            Apparently, Valon had noticed this, blue eyes softening a bit in real concern, something very few people this day seemed capable of understanding. “ ‘m sorry,” he tried to console me,” for whatever ‘appened. You don’ ‘ave ta go on. I shouldn’ be pryin’.”

            “It’s not your fault,” I tried to assure him, finding my voice again after a few moments, for he somehow had managed to pull me slightly from the dark recesses of my mind with only his mere presence. Almost in the way that close friends could. But, an unexpected thought weaseled its way into my thoughts, could I possibly tell him about what happened, all of it? Maybe it could lift the weight from myself with the support of someone who might possibly care, or at least wouldn’t find a way to make it worse?

            “Well, if you’re sure you’ll be okay, I’d best be on me way.” He turned from me, walking back towards the stairs back up toward the road.

            “Valon, wait,” I called out to him weakly, trying to bide some time. He looked back as I slid back to the ground, still debating what I should really do. After all, it would be nice to not need to handle this all on my own, but letting others in has only ever caused me more grief and hurt in the end. Still, nothing I’d done by myself had helped me get over this, and I was truly desperate. Did I really have anything to lose? As Valon lowered himself down at my side, the story began tumbling out, almost unbidden by me, sealing my fate. “Five months ago…”

_*****_

_“Come on! Let’s go in here!” I cried, leading Corey in, laughing, by the hand, despite the threat of our looming Finals. Rushing into a street-side café, surrounded by the aroma of baked goods, we bought the treats for ourselves with or measly college earnings before settling down outside._

_“Can you believe it?” Corey mused as I turned my attention to him, away from the sweet delicacy in my hand. “The school year’s already just about over. Almost whole year we’ve known each other.” He locked kind, deep, dark brown eyes on me. “Remember when we first met, when we really got to know each other, in a place just like this?”_

_I nodded, feeling the pleasant smile spread across my face. How could I forget? We’d both travelled from America to make it on our own studying abroad. It had been a few weeks since starting at the University when we agreed to meet with each other and collaborate on some work for class. It had started out as business, but after a few hours, honest conversation, and forgotten schoolwork, it had turned into something far more than that, something meaningful. “Of course,” I finally responded, “It’s something I’ll remember forever.”_

_Corey smiled and leaned closer in response. Heat flowed through me like usual as the space between us narrowed and I could feel the warm puffs of his breath hovering over my skin. Feelings of bliss fluttering through my chest, and I waited, only to find Corey staring past me, deep in thought. My forehead creased in concern. “What are you looking at? What’s wrong?” I whispered across the few inches of air between us, beginning to turn around._

_Midway, I felt a gentle hand on my cheek, and I looked back at him, confused at the complex look in his expression. “We need to go, now.” He stood from the table, taking my hand and guiding me away from the café. After making our way from the place, I risked shooting a glance behind me, finding three burly-looking men trailing us by a distance, cracking scarred knuckles though their faces remained still as stone in deep, angry scowls._

_“Who are they?” I asked, turning to face forward again, having no desire to see such callous faces any longer than necessary._

_“I don’t know,” he replied tersely, “but if they’re following us like that it can’t be good.” Without warning, I could hear the pace of the footsteps behind us began to change. Not needing to look back for even a moment, I knew exactly what was happening as my heart began pumping in a faster, more insistent rhythm, sending the chilling flow of adrenaline through my veins. Quickly, I glanced up to find Corey’s normally peaceful eyes now clouded with fear. “Run,” he whispered, and we did._

_Down the narrow streets and different alleys we sprinted in no real direction besides away, but, much to my terror, the once distant footsteps continued sounding closer and closer as our attackers shortened the gap between us. Suddenly, I felt Corey pull us to a stop in a random, empty side street. “Why-“_

_“I need you to keep going, get somewhere safe. I’m staying here, making sure they can’t get to you.”_

_“No! You can’t-!”_

_“Please,” he begged now, eyes shining despite the long shadows of the tall buildings, “do this for me. I love you, and I wouldn’t ever be able to live with myself if I let something happen to you.” At that, he pulled me in close, laying his lips on mine, but not in the gentle way I had come to associate with him. Instead, this was desperate, passionate, in a way we had never tried before, only because this could be our last chance. Mirroring his emotions, I tried longingly to hold on as long as I could, but, much too soon, he pulled away. “Go,” he breathed pressing something into my hand. But it couldn’t be over, I didn’t want it to be, I couldn’t let it._

_“Don’t do this, please,” I pleaded with him as I could hear my voice cracking, but I knew his already knew what his answer would be._

_“I swear, I don’t want to leave you either, but if somebody gets hurt, I won’t let it be you.” The thugs were coming closer now, and I knew that our time was up. He gave me one last rueful smile. “Whatever happens, I’ll always be with you,” and he walked calmly toward the three approaching figures while I tore myself painfully from the scene, running in the opposite direction. Towards life, towards safety. Towards loneliness, towards grief. But I couldn’t make it far enough to entirely drown out the sounds of a deadly fight as the hot tears streamed down my cheeks._

_*****_

            I sighed as the spray from the river sprinkled over me, fine droplets hanging in the air. “People started telling me that there were other things to live for, that good things would come again, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe that. Not after the police hardly investigated and convinced everybody that it didn’t matter. But it did- he did- and nobody cared.” My throat tightened again, but this time in anger for the authorities and those heartless murderers rather than grief. They are the ones to blame for everything being the way it is. The tightness alleviated itself slightly as I fingered the object he had pressed into my hand in those last moments. “These are the last things I have from him.” I revealed the cards- _his_ cards-, pulling them from my back pocket and cradling them in my palms.

            “I can’t believe that all ‘appened ta you. That’s ‘orrible. No one deserves somethin’ like that to ‘appen to ‘em.” Valon tried to comfort me to no avail. It was all I could do to nod my head in answer, lost again in my own thoughts from having to relive that nightmare once again. “But what are ya doin’ out ‘ere all alone? Isn’t your family back ‘ome ta comfort you?”

            I felt my muscles tense involuntarily at the mention. “I don’t want to talk about them.”

            Respecting my wishes, he dropped the subject, allowing the sound of rushing water to envelop us. Eventually, Valon stood, his posture exuding confidence as he looked down at me, and offered me his hand. “You wanna come with me?”

            “What?” I sputtered, entirely taken aback. That was the last thing I had expected.

            “I was just wonderin’ if ya might wanna leave with me. Beats staying ‘ere all by yourself.”

            He was right; there was no arguing what he had said. But could I really bear to leave this city, leave the place I’d explored with Corey, behind me already? Was that really right? Almost like abandoning the one person who had truly loved and cared for me. “I don’t know, Valon, it’s just…” I trailed off.

            “Trust me, I get it,” he explained gently as a barely perceptible sadness momentarily marred his features. “But this place’ll be better. I promise.” Seeing the warmth in his face, now partly shadowed by his chocolate brown hair, I couldn’t help but want to trust him, believe he could help me in every way possible. He understood what was going on and offered me a chance no one else even bothered to give me. Though it was a chance I would have never normally considered, desperation truly made people do things differently, act on impulses and whims, take such chances. Feeling there was really only one choice, I gave him my hand, allowing him to pull me up, the light evident in his eyes. “Come on; let’s go,” he finished, leading me up the steps to a pristine yellow motorcycle. Stepping up to the machine and lifting the kickstand deftly with his foot, he eventually tore his focus from it to regard me. “Ever ridden before?”

            “I have,” I answered simply, not delving into further details as I had no desire to lose my composure in front of him more than I already had. Equally unceremoniously (on the outside at least), I extracted the helmet from my bag, the place I had always kept it in case of those times when he would show unexpectedly to take me on an unplanned joyride around Paris.

            “Got your own?”

            I shook my head. “I know how to drive one, but I never needed my own.” The words stung in my chest at knowing such times were over, but, apparently, I hid it well enough this time.

            “Then I guess tha’ means you’re ridin’ with me.” He smiled slyly at the prospect before pulling his goggles from their place in his spiky hair and sliding his helmet on, prompting me to follow suit. Mounting the bike easily, I stopped halfway as my hands reached out to anchor myself to the person in front of me, remembering then that this was not the person who normally sat in that spot. Valon, noticing my hesitation, turned to see what the problem was. “Don’ worry,” he laughed slightly, “It’s alright.” Sure of himself, he guided my hands, and I reluctantly wrapped my arms around his muscular form. From there, I had only a few moments to marvel at the awkwardness before the familiar burst of adrenaline and gust of wind distracted me entirely.

 

 

 


	2. Initiation and Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The memories aren't exactly going away, but maybe this is finally the say to rid of all that pain for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why must I be so awful with summaries? The chapter's better than that, I swear.

            _Dark brown eyes bored straight into my soul, pleading wordlessly with me, fear entirely evident in their gaze. We were again back in that humble café along the streets of Paris, the sweet smell of the shops mixing with the bitter odor of live cigarettes. Old and modern architecture met in the form of elegant churches reminiscent of the one I remembered from home standing next to the vividly colorful awnings that highlighted the vibrant stores of the city I had chosen as a safe haven. The scents and sights comforted me, odd mix though they were, told me I was exactly where I belonged._

_Except, something nagged at the back of my conscious, trying to tell me that something here wasn’t right, sending an uneasy ripple through my stomach, a feeling I repressed. Finally, he spoke in that deep, resonating voice, the desperation having risen to great enough extremes within. “Please,” Corey begged with me, “you can’t hold onto this forever. You’ll need to keep going even if I can’t find you again. Be strong on your own, the way I know you’ve learned” He eyed the dangerous trio behind us who had appeared so suddenly. However, I refused to let our picturesque afternoon be ruined by a few thugs; enough of my life had already been spent in misery and I didn’t want to go on again trying to find solace only within myself, trusting nobody. From behind, the trio approached threateningly, and Corey went on trying to make me change my mind, to go somewhere else with him, but this time I refused to budge, refused to let myself leave him to face those three on his own. It was a mistake I knew I would only regret._

_The pain in his eyes grew to change their expression I had come to know over our time in one another’s company. “You know you can’t stay right ‘ere forever.” I narrowed my eyes as his voice too began gradually changing into another. “Taylor,” his voice began fading like a specter in my past, “Ya ‘ave ta wake up…”_

Groggily and feeling the sleep-induced stiffness hinder my limbs, my senses returned to me as I reentered harsh reality from the guilt-ridden situations of my dream worlds. Unwilling to open up to the light yet, I shifted my body to find a more comfortable position, expecting the warm, pleasant content of sheets back in my Paris room, only to be greeted by cold, hard, unyielding metal beneath my shoulder. With a start, I sat up, eyes wide and heart racing.

Where was I? What was I doing here? Had I been kidnapped? Whipping my head around in nothing short of a panic, I attempted to take in my surroundings until my gaze fell upon a familiar face. Valon. My pulse lowered to normal, and I couldn’t help but wonder at the somewhat alarming amount of trust I’d given to someone who I met less than a day ago; despite the short time I’d known him, that time somehow felt as though it were longer. He stood calmly next to his bike, watching me amusedly from where I presume he had called me from my slumber, bringing back relief with the memories of yesterday. The motorcycle ride from Paris, getting into the back of this cargo plane, falling into my fretful, nightmare-filled sleep.

“Mornin’,” he greeted me with an easy smile. “No bad dreams, I ‘ope?” he asked lightheartedly.

“Yeah, right,” I mumbled under my breath as he busied himself with his motorcycle, too preoccupied to register my mutters, “I wish.”

“You’d best start getting’ ready ta go,” he told me without looking up. “We’re gonna be leavin’ in a couple minutes.”

“But,” I concentrated on the motions of the plane, feeling the vibrations and turbulence beneath my feet. “We could’ve only barely started descending! We need to wait more than just a couple minutes!”

A wide, almost childish grin spread across his features, eyes lighting up in pure delight. “Oh, you’re gonna love this!”

I stared back at him skeptically. What was that supposed to mean? Before I had the chance to ask, he gestured me over to his side, flattening his spiky hair underneath his helmet. Straddling his bike, he pulled his goggles down over his eyes, readying himself, but for what exactly? “Come on, jus’ like last time,”he joked though the lingering suspicion refused to leave me. “Don’ worry; it’s safe. An’ I can’t be responsible for leavin’ you ‘ere.” Harboring no desire to stay on this plane alone, I mounted the bike behind Valon, my arms around him as equally awkward as before. “Ready?” he asked, though my answer wouldn’t have mattered as the back hatch opened, propelling the wind violently around us.

As if my confusion wasn’t deep enough, the bike began rolling toward the open air as I instinctively tightened my arms. What was he doing? We were going to fall out at this rate! But then, to my absolute horror, I felt the rolling accelerate, and, before I had time to yell or even think, the solid ground disappeared as we flew, or rather fell, through the air. Speeding toward the ever-nearing earth, all odd thoughts of intimacy aside, I pulled closer to Valon, burying my face in my back and squeezing my eyes shut. I normally had no fear of heights, but I didn’t exactly want to see the land grow around me or consider how hard we would hit it when we inevitably would. At the same time, I clenched my teeth together, stifling the scream that threatened to escape as the icy wind stung at my cheeks.

Finally, none too soon in my opinion, we reached the surface of the earth, the wheels absorbing most of the shock as I opened my eyes with the painful jolt to blue skies and rolling water all around. Were we on an island?

            Rolling slowly to a stop, Valon turned around to face me for my reaction as I loosened my near death-grip on him, now overly conscious of the close contact. “So, wha’d ya think?”

            You’ve got to be kidding me,” I replied, breathless and exasperated. “You’re completely crazy. I mean,” I looked back to the now empty sky, “seriously? You enjoy doing that?”

            “Well, yeah. Ya get used to it after a while; kinda fun really. You’re gonna ‘ave ta learn ‘ow ta do it yourself soon anyway, mate.”

            “Yeah right ‘I’ll get used to it,” I scoffed, but something else he had said still caught my attention. “Wait, what do you mean I have to learn?” Without answering me, Valon restarted his bike, lapsing into silence as my unease grew. “Valon, where are you taking me?”

            Finally, he responded as we turned to the middle of the island, climbing the pathway up a giant spire, headed for the top and whatever lay waiting there. “We’re goin’ t’ see me boss,” he began explaining, some of the usual jovial attitude I had come to associate with him vanishing. “Dartz ‘as ‘elped us all, an’ ‘e can do the same for you.”

            I would’ve given him a questioning look had I been looking at more than the back of his head. Who was this Dartz, and who else made up this “us” he was talking about? Questions raced in my head, waiting to be answered as we pulled up to a huge, magnificent building, not unlike the ancient temples that archaeologists were often known for uncovering. Walking through the doorway, which was covered with intricate, swirling designs, I couldn’t help but wonder at how modern science could have overlooked such a priceless piece of history. Despite my almost comical gawking, Valon led, or almost dragged, me by the hand down the long hall where the dazzling waters beyond the pillars to our right entranced me with their bright sparkle.

            “What, Valon, another one?” a voice mocked unexpectedly from the shadows. My chaperone froze, dropping my hand and blue eyes glaring toward the darkened hallways to our left as I too searched for the owner of the mysterious voice. Finding the slight figure outlined in the darkness told me little more than one thing. Apparently this tall, slim redhead with gray eyes was not someone Valon was hoping to see.

            Grumbling with evident annoyance, Valon turned to face him and, to no surprise, proceeded to offer insult. “Real big words comin’ from the man who likes playin’ with dolls, Alister.” A small smirk crossed his lips with the apparently below-the-belt taunt as the redhead -Alister- stormed away, clearly pissed-off and likely planning some sort of brutal revenge.

            Entirely lost on what the two could possibly be talking about, I looked hopelessly to Valon for answers as he denied me again. “Don’ worry ‘bout ‘im,” he joked, resuming our walk down to wherever our intended destination lay. “’sides, we’re almost there anyways.” I did nothing but nod and continue to eye the unbelievably beautiful hall until we stopped in front of another door, just as elaborately decorated as its counterpart in the front. As I slowly regained my wits about me, Valon placed his hand on its stone surface. “Well, ‘ere we are,” he said, pushing it open with surprising ease, “Master Dartz is waitin’ for ya.”

            Still somewhat dumbfounded, I wandered in without uttering a word and never even noticed the door slip shut behind me. Torches lit by green fire spontaneously burst to life on the walls, revealing some of the finer details of this place. Tablets, stone tablets about twice the size of a playing card composed the entire floor, walls, and ceiling, each with a unique carving of a frightened person within its bounds, frozen in an attempt to escape. Trying to make some logical sense of this place, I spun around, my eye catching no other adornments in this or the darkened end of the room which could help or hinder me in the process. What sort of twisted place was this?

            “Welcome, Miss Fairfax,” a lilting voice echoed through the room, bouncing across the stone to increase in it volume. My heart stopped in icy cold fear as I managed to resist from adding my own voice to the cacophony. Rotating a violent 180 degrees, I almost couldn’t believe what had suddenly changed in front of me. The formerly dark side of the room, now lit by two tall torches of orange flame, revealed a stone face stretching from floor to ceiling, as well as the teal-haired man kneeled to face it. “Come closer, child,” he spoke without turning. “I am only here to help. Why, I would never harm one already in so much pain.” Without much hesitation, I stepped closer to the mysterious figure, enchanted by his caring, fatherly voice that I couldn’t help but find myself trusting. After all, this could only be Dartz, the man Valon had brought me to see. The man who could help me eradicate my demons of the past. Make me strong against the sting of loss. Help me find revenge against those who had wronged me and rid them from my memory.

            “How do you know me?” was all I could manage given the sheer enormity of the situation.

            “There is little I am unaware of,” he answered mysteriously. “Most importantly, I know why you are here: the loss of a loved one correct?”

            I nodded stiffly to disguise my shock at his accuracy, but also to try and restrict the emotions, the despair, that always accompanied the mere thought of that day. No need to break down right here, right now. “Yes,” I answered him curtly, “someone very close to me, more than anyone else I know.” I went no further into the details, not exactly wanting to conjure up the dreadful images, and figuring that if he knew as much as he claimed, there was no need for me to.

            “Yes, he was your guardian, your protector from evil,” he said, finally now standing to face me as I inhaled quickly, not only from his statement, but from the sight of his eyes: one green, one yellow. “I possess a way for you to take revenge, avenge your beloved’s name. That is what you want, is it not?”

            “Of course I do. Those murderers ruined my life, and I just want to make it right for what they did. I want to feel like I’m strong again,” I stopped, knowing that to continue would end disastrously for me.

            Dartz smiled lightly, but I couldn’t read his emotions behind it. “Come up here. Let me rid you of the nightmares, dampen the grief, offer you the means to take your revenge.” And an invisible thread tugged at me, made me obey by kneeling at his feet out of respect, though I was not aware of any conscious decision on my part to do so. Raising a hand, Dartz placed finger on my forehead, reciting what I could understand to be an ancient chant in order to infuse the power of something called the Orichalcos inside me.

As he finished the ritual, an unknown force whipped my head back with a spark of green, and I could feel the noticeable change within be, something only described as a hardness, a new determination, a new drive. Seemingly by magic, a blue-green duel disk materialized on my left wrist while, simultaneously, a swirling, silver ring appeared on my finger, cradling a glittering, dark green stone. _A fragment of the Orichalcos stone_ , a voice in the back of my head explained as I stepped back. As far as I knew, I would have never known such an obscure fact. Dartz watched me with amusement before offering words of advice. “Do not be afraid,” he spoke kindly, again in the way a father should. “The Initiation grants you knowledge of the Orichalcos and its great powers, enabling you to use it to its full potential.”

Steadily, I stood, oddly unshaken by the unusual happenings of the day, and I wasn’t about to question it. I was just anxious to have some time to sort things out on my own. Before I turned to exit, I thanked Dartz shortly, but did not make it more than a few feet before I was stopped.

“Miss Fairfax,” the Atlantean addressed me, and it wasn’t a question.

“Yes, Master Dartz?” I found myself naturally referring to him as Valon had earlier.

“I do not wish for you to be under the impression that I am not aware of your entire past. I know of the situation regarding your family.” My muscles stiffened at the reminder. “I see that you do not wish to speak of it, however; I only wished for you to understand.”

“This will be kept private?”

“If you so wish, but it may be wise to keep in mind that they may also not be so open to discussing their pasts either, and it is not my place to tell you.”

“Then I’ll remember that,” and I made my way to the door, pulling the heavy thing to slip out into the breath of fresh air which blew in from the open view of the sea, through the columns and banister. Staring down and leaning casually against one of said columns stood Valon, arms crossed and spiky brown hair dancing in the slight breeze. As I approached, sapphire eyes met my brown ones.

“’ow’d it go?”

“Fine, I guess,” I answered, noticing, for the first time, the stone set in his own ring, larger and sturdier looking than mine. “I think I just need some time to figure this all out.”

“Course,” he nodded, “I-,”

“Outta my way, pipsqueak,” a blonde woman demanded, shoving me roughly against the banister. Just as I regained my balance, ready to retort, the form storming away, high heels clicking against the stone, sparked a memory, something from the programs Corey and I would watch on the TV.

“Mai Valentine?” I questioned what she was doing here before the pieces began falling into place. “Is she that ‘other one’ you brought here?” But Valon was no longer listening to me. Instead, he stared down the hall longingly as Mai made her way out, a hopeful look on his face. Rather, no, it was something far deeper than than longing or hope. Love. Unrequited love at that, from what I could tell by Mai’s cold and superior attitude, whether Valon knew it yet or not. Or, then again, perhaps he was just unwilling to admit that to himself. Unwilling to open himself to the pain of her rejection.

Seeing the disappointment cross his features as she left, prompting him to mutter something about “tha’ bloke Joey Wheeler”, I placed a hand on his shoulder, bringing a fraction of his attention back on me. “Thank you for everything,” I said, trying to communicate the extent of my gratitude in a meager handful of words. “Really, it means a lot to me.” I let my hand slip away as I took an adjoining hallway to find a room for myself.

Letting myself into one of the nearly empty spaces, I lowered to the floor, my back resting against the bed. Rummaging through the backpack I had nearly forgotten about during the past couple hours, I retrieved the two decks, laying mine on the ground at my side and holding Corey’s, almost as I did during those last few moments at the river. Except, then, I flipped through his deck in grief; now I did it with a purpose and a single card in mind. _Black Luster Soldier: Envoy of the Twilight_ : his favorite and most treasured card, the one that meant the most to him. Holding it alone brought back the memories of our matches when he would play the card, showing off the energetic and competitive side of him that I came to enjoy in my constant companion. Grasping at the happy moments, I slid the card onto the top of my deck before laying the all cards on the bedside table. Without rising, I closed my eyes and tilted my head upwards, hoping for a moment’s peace. Honestly, I should’ve known better.

“Taylor?” the Australian accented voice came from the doorway.

“Yeah, Valon?” I didn’t open my eyes, hardly moved a muscle, tying to let my mind rest for once.

“Look, I’m righ’ sorry I didn’ show ya ‘round ‘ere.” Without looking, I could hear the apologetic tone of voice and knew I couldn’t push him to explain himself. I know what I saw back there and it wasn’t right to blame him, punish him for something like that.

“Don’t worry yourself over it. I found my way here, right? It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” he paused uncharacteristically, long enough for me to quit staring at the back of my eyelids and forget the lull of fatigue in order to find him leaning against the doorframe.

“Valon, is something wrong?” Judging by the look on his face, he was surely withholding something from me, though I couldn’t imagine what or why. I wasn’t about to break down at the slightest provocation, not anymore. “You clearly came here to tell me something, and you can say it. I can handle it.”

His knowing look challenged my confidence, but he proceeded to explain nonetheless. “Well, Dartz usually ‘as us upgrade our decks. We’ve got this ‘uge room full o’ cards to replace ‘em with, but I know your cards mean a lot ta ya, so you don’ ‘ave to come wi’ me,” he finished hurriedly, but I wasn’t paying much attention by that point, too busy digesting what he had said.

He was right. My cards did mean a lot to me, even more so now than they had when I first bought them. Only a few days –a few hours- ago, the thought of losing a single card and the memories it harbored would have sent me further into the endless pit of overwhelming emotions. Willingly giving one up would have ripped me apart piece by painful piece until I was left with nothing save the tortuous guilt. But now, the Orichalcos was on my side, reducing the grief from a sharp stab to a dull, barely-there ache. Maybe then, I should do something, change something. It might be best to surrender a few cards, sever the ties that held me down, bound me to the past that I didn’t want to suffer anymore. Maybe it was time to move on.

Unsure of what to make of my silence, Valon stood up straight, detaching himself from the wall, making to leave. At least until I found myself swiping the cards off the table and calling for him to wait as I hastened to his side. Immediately his cheery energy returned in full force, making me wonder at his ability to turn it on and off when the situation called for it. “Makes me kinda wonder why ya decided ta come. Or did ya jus’ wanna spend more time wi’ me?”

“Very funny, but I’ll let you think whatever you want.” Though, truthfully, I had no objections to his presence. Some odd, unexplainable feeling in the back of my mind made it feel like I had known him for longer than only a day, made it feel like I haven’t been entirely alone all along.

 

 

 

 


	3. Cold Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge is dealt as the Leviathan gains power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why must my chapter summaries suck?

            The day had finally come, the one I had joined this organization to experience. Dartz had called me into the Soul Room earlier this morning and, having noticed my dueling skills improve with the help of Valon and a few new cards, assigned me my first mission. And I couldn’t be more pleased.

            Since then I had returned to my room, readying for my task ahead: checking my deck one last time and mentally preparing myself with a hardened resolve and winning strategies. Satisfied, I slid my deck into my duel disk before pulling open the door, grabbing my helmet and balancing it under my arm as I exited. Almost immediately, I bumped into Valon who looked me over questioningly, obviously aware that I was about to leave but uninformed as to why. “Taylor? Where’re ya goin’?”

            “To get revenge on the bastards who killed my boyfriend,” I answered harshly, trying only to keep my merciless mask in place.

            “Course. I shoulda known,” he laughed a little in an attempt to lighten the mood before turning serious himself. “There’s a bike waiting out front for ya. Dark blue; you’ll see it.“ I nodded, suddenly glad now that I had run into him at all if only because his presence somehow reassured me, gave me a confidence that my own preparation and the Orichalcos stone on my finger together couldn’t offer. With that, I continued on my way, but stopped once again at the unexpected feel of his calloused palm around my arm. Turning back, I found the worry etched onto his features. “Good luck, an’ be careful out there. I’d better see you back ‘ere soon.”

            “Don’t worry,” I assured him quietly, letting my stony will soften and drop at his genuine concern. “I won’t be gone long, I promise.” But he didn’t release me immediately, instead searching my expression with inquisitive, bright blue eyes assuring himself that I was telling the truth, that I wouldn’t just leave and never return. Under his scrutiny, I felt my hand lift towards my neckline, fingering the golden cross pendant hanging around my neck, a nervous habit I had developed at some point over the years. Perceptively, his eyes caught my movement, watching it with unexplained interest before finally releasing me. Lingering for a moment longer, I left without another word, having nothing left to say and the silence communicating more than I could have conjured with my voice. Sometimes the silence truly did speak louder than words, for now I felt sure of my ability to take charge of my own fate, thanks to my newfound strength and the Seal of Orichalcos on my side.

* * *

 

            The smell is what hit me first. Inhaling deeply the air that flew past as I rode my motorcycle, the characteristically slightly smoky bite confirmed that I was here. Paris, the first place I had felt truly at home. Automatically feeling comforted by familiar sights and sounds, I sped closer to the center of the city, to Historic Paris, the most beautiful place on the planet. Zooming to the city’s heart, I still found myself unable to shake the same feeling of wonder I experienced the first day I’d arrived. Notre Dame, the Louvre, Bastille Square, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe. Almost without my knowing it, I rolled the bike to a stop in front of the last monument, craning my neck to gaze at the tall, extraordinary arch as a memory, none too distant, replayed itself.

            It had only been shortly after we first met when we decided to go on what could be called our first official date. Already aware of my love for the city’s rich history, he treated me to an exhilarating motorcycle ride through the town before settling under the shade of the magnificent, arched monument to Napoleon’s prowess. There, he had introduced me to Duel Monsters, and I couldn’t resist. Always up for a game of chance or strategy and magic with monsters, I near begged him to help me create a deck of my own. With a haphazardly assembled collection of cards, we would play in the same spot for that day and many others to follow; he would often claim victory from me at first, but we eventually became more evenly matched, sharpening the other’s skills with our own vigorous and daring moves. Then there was the day when he revealed not only one ultra-powerful card, but two. Not just his _Black Luster Soldier_ , but also a gift for me. Except, that wasn’t all he planned to give, for as he handed the card to me, he leaned in closer, locking his lips onto mine tentatively at first but more confident, more sure as I responded in kind. All the while the setting Paris sun cast long shadows beneath a colorful, picturesque sky, framing the perfect moment with the city’s perfect setting.

            As the thoughts faded back once more, I shook my head as though it might provide some clarity and prevent my train of thought from continuing on to darker places. But hadn’t Dartz’s ceremony aided me in forgetting the past, or was it nothing more than my mind trying to play some sort of trick on me, just telling me the thing I wanted to hear? Knowing I couldn’t wallow in despair, not here, not now, and with the Orichalcos holding me up, I sped down the streets without another thought on it.

            Fortunately, it wasn’t long before three disconcertingly familiar forms took shape before me. Effortlessly, the overpowering emotions that had built up inside of me over time froze instantly into a cold, hard lust for revenge, for justice, fueled from below by the raging, heated hatred and grief which sparked a blazing inferno within my mind. These creeps would pay, and pay dearly. That much was for certain. My patience would be rewarded, and Corey’s death avenged soon enough when they suffered the same pain that I had been forced to fight plus much, much more. That was all they deserved.

            “Hey, you!” I yelled at them across the now mere thirty feet of space between us. Finally now aware of my presence, they turned to catch only a glimpse of the flash of white headlights before running, entirely shattering any veil of innocence they had employed before. The corner of my lip pulled up mercilessly as I gave chase, more to taunt and tire them as I caught them with ease, swerving around them to effectively cut off their path. “Judging by your reaction,” I began, dismounting and pulling my helmet off, “you boys must remember me.”

            “So what if we do!” the middle one, evidently their leader answered stupidly with a step forward.

            “In that case then, you must surely remember what you did to my boyfriend,” I went on calmly, pleased that I hadn’t flinched at using the word so flippantly.

            The two in the back began whispering to each other until their leader silenced them with a look.

            “So you should realize by now that I wish to take my revenge.”

            All three began laughing. “Sorry, sweetheart, but its three against one. We could beat you senseless and take everything from you without even thinking.”

            “But what a cowardly move would that be?” I replied evenly. “Certainly you have more self-respect than that, though I think I may be thinking too highly of such low-rate criminals. Or are you just that afraid to lose?”

            “Hey, we ain’t cowards!” one of them retorted hotly.

            “Then why don’t I suggest a game of Duel Monsters? Three on one. If you win, you may rob me of my valuables, money, whatever you wish. But if I win, you three will pay dearly for your crimes.”

            “Fine,” their leader announced as all three pulled out decks of weathered cards, pushing them into the duel disks they wore on their left. “But we’ve got all the powerful cards we could find! You’re never gonna beat us, little girl!”

            “I’ll be nice and let you think whatever you want. I’m not worried, “I answered, activating my own duel disk, the playing field sliding out like a sword from its sheath, “but you should be.”

            “Whatever. I’m starting!” the leftmost one announced, drawing his first cards. They fell into step with each other, summoning an array of offences, demonic looking monsters intended to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Not that they fazed me as I brought forth my spellcasters, using their powerful effects in combination with my spells and traps to keep my life points safe.

            That is, until I felt the slight tingle of power beneath my fingertips as I made ready to draw my next card. As I pulled it from my deck, I knew its identity long before laying eyes on its front. Only one card could radiate such pulsating power through no more than a touch. A smirk slid across my face.

            “Hey! What’s so funny?” one of the three, I’m not sure which, barked.

            “Nothing at all. It’s simply that this is the beginning of the end for you!” I raised the card high above my head, revealing its identity to my soon-to-be victims. “I play the Seal of Orichalcos!” A stronger wave of power surged through my entire being as my ring glowed brightly, heating to unnatural levels at the card’s presence. I clenched my fists as pure energy bristled over my skin, flowed through my blood, set my mind to a hardened and cold resolve, thinking of no more than the three men before me falling for their actions. The raging fire lit behind my eyes as my vision cleared, enhanced now with heightened abilities. At the same time, my duel disk lit with a fluorescent green light, releasing a circle bound by ancient symbols and runes into the skies above us in an unparalleled light show. As it reached the ground, encompassing us, lines crisscrossed across the middle in the form of a six-pointed star, completing the seal as my opponents watched, silently dumbfounded.

            Finally responding, the three pushed to the edge, attempting to escape, only to find the way blocked by a wall of pure energy encircling the field. They pounded their fists against it in vain, as if they might shatter it like glass. “What is this?!” they cried savagely, turning on me, gasping as I knew they found the image of the Seal imprinted on my forehead. “What kinda trick are you trying to pull?!”

            “Oh, no, this is no trick,” I informed them maliciously, the strength of the Orichalcos pulsing through my veins. “On the contrary, this is very, very real. Only the winner may escape, and those who are defeated will lose far more than just the duel, but their soul as well!”

* * *

 

            The match was coming to an end; I could feel it, just knew it, and with the Sacred Seal on my side, victory for me was assured. Confident, I drew my next card and grinned fiercely. This was the final turns.

            “Don’t keep us guessing!” the leader taunted. “Cause we can’t wait to steal from you too!”         

            “Then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that won’t be happening. Not today and not ever, for I sacrifice my Cosmos Queen and Neo Aqua Madoor! Now I can bring my ultimate spellcaster out to play, _Sorcerer of Black Magic_!” With a flourish, I set the card down, watching as my magician materialized before my eyes and brought back memories which would have surely distracted me had the adrenaline-like effects of ancient magic not been holding me. After all, this was more than just a powerful monster. It was Corey’s gift to me that evening when we first kissed, endowing it with far more meaning than almost anything I had ever owned. Playing it had almost always guaranteed victory and seeing it had become a good omen of sorts.

            Pulling surprisingly easily from the past, I continued with my winning strategy. “And now with my Cosmos Queen resting in the Graveyard, it has evened out the number of Light and Dark monsters, allowing me to special summon _Black Luster Soldier: Envoy of the Twilight_!” All at once, Corey’s monster appeared, suddenly turning to lock eyes with me and offer a nod in a gesture all too familiar.

            My breath caught in my throat for a second before I closed my eyes, clearing my mind of the delusions for that’s all it could have been. A trick of the light and nothing more. It couldn’t be more than a coincidence, could it?

            I returned my focus to the duel at hand, dismissing the thought for now, albeit with a bit of difficulty. “It’s all over for you! I play the magic card, _Lighting Vortex_!” and at the same time, all the monsters across from me shattered into tiny pieces, tumbling to the ground and fading into nothingness. “Now with so few life points left between the three of you, my last attack will wipe you out for good!”

            “But I play my trap-!”

            “Except it’s too bad my sorcerer negates the activation of any trap cards. Say goodbye,” I finished as my two monsters wiped out the rest of their life points.

            “No!” they cried out, not quite in sync, falling to their knees as the Seal began closing in.

            “And that’s for what you did to me, to both of us!” I yelled lividly while they creamed in mortal agony, their souls ripped away from their bodies.

Soon enough the emerald lights vanished, as did the great power, leaving me with the residual warmth in my extremities and three empty shells, devoid of life and humanity. Unceremoniously, I dragged them into one of the ill-used and empty alleys where they wouldn’t be discovered for a long time at least. Not that it mattered much anyways, I hadn’t left any evidence to point back to me and would be long gone by the time anybody discovered them.

            Satisfied for the first time in a long while, I left the alley, headed back for my bike. However, something caught my eye: three cards laid face down on the paved street. Kneeling down, I flipped them over, smiling viciously, triumphantly, at the faces panicked and trapped behind the Seal. Wordlessly, I pocketed my trophies and rode off and away, my revenge finally served.


	4. A Welcome Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stealing souls and the like is dark and hard business, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all is perpetually gloomy back at Paradius headquarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, this chapter was originally written to expand a bit on Taylor and Valon's relationship before things start getting...worse, let's say. So enjoy a bit of fluff!

Unfamiliar buildings raced past me as my mind strained to decipher the look of someplace important, the place I was expected to find, though I had no true idea of what it was, or where exactly it might be. I could only assume it was someplace that had to do with Dartz. After all, the pilot dropped me here instead of the temple, despite the fact that I had been trying to work up enough gall to make that insane leap from the sky.

I shuddered again at the thought. In truth, I was glad to be here instead.

Eventually, a tall, business-type building loomed over me, an unsettling recognition ringing like an alarm in my awareness.

This had to be it.

Reaching the front of the structure, I pushed open the tinted glass door as a rush of air-conditioned wind hit me in the face. In front of me was laid out an expansive lobby room. Leather chairs and couches sat in each corner, surrounding shiny wooden tables supported by fancily carved legs. Flat screen televisions stood along the outside of the room along with multiple desks, each piled with official-looking documents and laptops. Overhead lights cast an almost ethereal white glow through the space as small, welcoming lamps created their own circle of warm yellow light. Only a center aisle remained unfurnished, leading to two elevators on the other end.

Without any more doubts as to my location, I began to make my way down the middle, spotting two men deep in conversation to my right. Alister, I reminded myself, and a blonde haired, strongly built man. _Raphael_ , the voice in my head informed me. Neither acknowledged my presence as I pressed the button for the elevator, though I was sure they were both aware of my arrival. After a short while, the usual annoying ding caught my attention and I stepped into the cabin of the elevator, bumping into someone in the process.

“Taylor?” I heard Valon ask incredulously as I turned to find a better view, and he suddenly, completely unexpectedly, pulled me tightly towards him. Words failed me as my mind tried to process what had happened though, admittedly, it wasn’t the first time I’d been confused in the past week alone. But, lucky for me, he never seemed to be at a loss for words. “You’re back,” he said as the door closed again.

“What? I was only gone a couple of days.”

“Well, you said you’d be back ‘ere soon, and you ‘ad ta ‘andle those blokes on your own.”

“Oh, come on,” I countered and slid out of his grip in order to more easily see him. “Have some faith in me. Besides, I do know how to take care of myself, you know.”

“Jus’ wanted to make sure you were safe, is all.” He pressed the button for the eighth floor. “Where were ya anyways?”

“I stayed in Paris an extra day to pick up a couple things. And, I don’t know, it just felt right for some reason, especially with everything that’s happened.”

He nodded in understanding before glancing at the flashing numbers indicating the floor. Five, six. “Ya know, since I’m ‘ere, I might as well show you where you can stay,” he changed the subject to lighten the mood. “I’d assume tha’s wha’ you were comin’ up ‘ere for anyways. Unless, of course,” he looked to me, grinning easily, “You were comin’ ta see me.”

I punched him lightly on the shoulder as the door opened to the eighth floor. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I replied jokingly as we walked out, unable to keep from laughing a little.

“I can’t ‘elp it!” he offered, raising his arms in mock surrender as we stepped out and continued on our way.

“Yeah, that much is obvious,” I remarked, “but maybe you can fill me in on anything I’ve missed.”

“Not much ta really tell. Mai dueled tha’ bloke Joey Wheeler. It was lookin’ preety good for ‘er, but ‘is friend the Pharaoh figured if they tied neither o’ ‘em would lose their souls.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Wheeler pulled it off. Said ‘e didn’ want ‘er soul taken.”

I nodded. “I guess that makes sense.” And it did. Given what I had heard about him, it wasn’t at all out of character. As much as I didn’t much appreciate Mai and her attitude, I could imagine him considering her a friend.

“Yeah, jus’ seems kinda weird tha’ ‘e didn’ wanna win though.”

“What’s wrong with that? True, nothing’s wrong with winning, I agree, but he probably thought there are some things more important, like her.” And I knew for certain; bonds like that wouldn’t break easily. Even now I would do anything, win a battle or throw a match, for Corey and my memories of him, strong as they were.

“You’ve got a point there, but I guess I grew up thinkin’ differently than you did,” Valon contemplated before stopping in front of a door. “Anyways, ‘ere we are. Everythin’ you left back at the temple’s in there too.”

“Thanks, Valon.” I twisted the doorknob and pressed against the wood, slipping into the room for a bit of blissful quiet.

*****

A couple of hours passed in peaceful silence as I receded into another world entirely, one which had offered me comfort as a lonely child trying to escape my parents and had become an unfailing sanctuary of sorts as I grew older, one which I immersed myself in often. The thick, worn volume laid flopped open welcomingly in my lap, expertly written words sucking me into the fantastical lands of Middle Earth. Kingdoms nestled between rolling green hills and journeys of great heroes played like a hypnotic movie in my mind’s eye as I could almost imagine smelling the natural, sweet air instead of the sterility of the Paradius building. At least I could, until the door flew open with a violent crash. My head snapped up at the sound, thoroughly startled out of my daydream, to find a fairly excitable-looking Australian standing in the doorway, a soda bottle dangling from his fingertips.

            Should that worry me?

            I shut the heavy book, feeling the pages collapse in on each other and laid it on the bed I had been laying on, raising an eyebrow nonchalantly in his direction. Leaning against the headboard and crossing my arms, I had to ask the obvious, “What’s gotten you all excited?”

            The already wide grin on his face grew exponentially, and his eyes glinted in unconcealed glee and anticipation. But for what? “I saw somethin’ online; thought it looked kinda fun.”

            “And you need me to babysit you?” I answered sarcastically, smirking a little in jest.

            “No, course not!” he retorted, on the defensive side before switching back to a casual tone of voice. “Jus’ thought ya might wanna enjoy this, ‘specially since you ‘aven’t ‘ad me for company these past few days.”

            I shook my head, deciding to ignore his cocky, arrogant self-flattery. “And why are you asking me, someone you’ve barely known for a week, if I want to join you in this… whatever you’re doing?” Some odd feeling touched the edge of my awareness at that last statement, but I didn’t dwell on it. I’d since learned that living in the past usually didn’t end well, hard though it was sometimes to forget. “Why aren’t you asking Mai? And don’t think I haven’t noticed,” I added, seeing the slight surprise register on his face. “I may not have been here long, but you don’t exactly hide it all too well.”

            “Figured she wouldn’, ya know, appreciate this all too much. I ‘ave a feelin’ you might though.”

            “How would you know what I like doing?”

            “I think you know that, Taylor,” he answered cryptically, leaving me to wonder why everyone here felt so inclined to always speak in riddles.

            “In that case, how about you just show me, then?” I inquired, exasperated, and coming to terms with the fact that I would never get a straight answer in this place.

            “See? I knew you’d wanna come.” He leaned against the corner of the doorframe, a rather triumphant look on his face as I stood with a sigh and headed towards him.

            “Fine, you win. Now why don’t you tell me where we’re going? I think I deserve at least that much.”

He guided me down the labyrinth-like hallways, deciding to answer me directly for once. “I gotta ‘ead back to the kitchen for something,” he said, swinging the soda bottle dangerously and directing a sly smile at me. “Then we’re goin’ ta the only room in ‘ere I’m allowed to make a mess.”

            Frowning, I pondered over his words before realizing what exactly he meant. “Valon, the bathroom wasn’t made for you to deliberately destroy!”

            “Then that’s too bad, ‘cause I’m doin’ this anyways. Besides, I don’ think you or Raphael’d like me ta do this in either o’ your rooms, and Alister’d kill me if I tried,” he confirmed over his shoulder, entering the kitchen and snatching something off the table before I could get a good look at it.

            Only a few minutes later, he ushered me into the tile-floored bathroom, following just a few steps behind. Putting a fair distance between himself and the door, Valon kneeled down to set the bottle on the floor, letting loose a muttered string of curses as he tried and failed to twist off the stubborn plastic cap. Off to the side, I watched amusedly the unusual, albeit entertaining, struggle. Much to my dismay, I could only observe in peace for so long before the piercing clack of high heels on linoleum echoed off the walls. Valon too looked up from his task at the sound, though his crystal clear blue eyes held only a shadow of the interest they used to for the approaching woman.

            As if on cue, long blonde trellises came into view, a cold voice ringing out blaringly against the relative quiet. “What do you two losers think you’re doing?” Hard, callous violet eyes met my own vicious glare as I scowled back at her.

            From the corner of my eye, I noticed Valon moving to say something undeservingly kind to her, but I beat him to it. “Enjoying ourselves, not that you’d care or understand. So how about you just go on your way and we’ll leave you alone,” I pointed out sharply.

            An indignant fire lit her once stoic expression. “How dare you treat me like that!”

            “What gives you the right to think you’re better than me?” I countered calmly, for her sudden outburst now appeared simply frivolous. Like some petty argument.

           “The fact that I am!” Mai said self-assuredly, as if that might convince me to believe her, but I rolled my eyes. How could anyone stand her?

            “Think whatever you want.” At that, she left in a livid huff, storming further down the hall. Good riddance. If she wasn’t about to be thankful to those who had helped her, she didn’t deserve anything in return.

            “Surprised me a bit there, mate,” the cockney accent interrupted my thoughts. “Didja really mean you thought you’re better than Mai?”

            “No, not the way she thought I meant; frankly I just did that so she’d quit bugging us. How’s that surprise you?”

            “Guess I just wasn’ expectin’ it is all.”          

            The familiar cool metal of the pendant pressed against my fingertips, bringing back a shade of memory as it- for some odd reason- usually did, but this time without the ominous warning it often carried. That, and this time, being in someone else’s presence, led me to try to reach for it, only to find the thought closer to the surface, yet still just out of reach. “Let’s just say I had to learn how to stand up for myself as a kid.”

            “Yeah, I can see that,” he said, returning to trying to twist the bottle cap in a futile attempt, his other hand squeezing the already over-pressurized bottle. I could see the imminent disaster, but would it be right to tell him, or let him learn from experience?

            A sharp crack of the seal informed me that Valon had accomplished his task, completely unaware of what was to come. “Finally-,” he announced, cut off by the sudden airy stream of soda blasting in his face and the carbonated liquid oozing out onto his hand. He stood abruptly as if shocked by a bolt of electricity, though, admittedly, with his unruly hair, it wasn’t too much of a stretch. “Aw, bloody-,” he muttered, spotting me and recognizing my barely concealed merriment. “’ey, this isn’ funny!” he cried, though there was no real ire behind his words. “You knew this’d ‘appen!” As if we were children again, he began flicking droplets of the sugary drink in my direction, trying to make me pay for my actions.

            “Valon, stop!” I dodged his assaults swiftly, finding myself lucky when his hands had dried enough to force him into ceasing his attacks and instead curl and uncurl his semi-dry fingers, feeling their stickiness.

            “Fine,” he conceded, pulling out a packet of candy. Mentos. Of course. I should have known. “’cause you’re gonna get pretty wet soon anyways.” Before I could even think of protesting, he ripped open the paper wrapping and dumped a few of the round mints into the bubbling drink. I braced myself as Valon retreated to my side, barely in time. Hardly a second later, the bubbles intensified, turning the drink a foaming white and sending a stream of sugary water erupting from the bottle mouth, bringing a rain of soda down upon us. We both tried in vain to shield ourselves from the downpour, throwing our arms above our heads even though such a thing could never have made a difference. And neither of us could hold back our hysterical laughter as we were splattered with fat droplets. It was the first time in months that I’d genuinely, truly laughed, and even though it was with someone else this time, it was a welcome change.

           

 


	5. Mistakes and Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets and stories come to light, but what happens when one of those secrets pushes things a little too far?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Suck. At. Summaries.

                Cool, perfectly smooth glass pressed against my palm as I pushed my way into the Paradius building, having only just returned from yet another assignment Dartz had sent me on, one of many he had given me since my victory against those thugs. Soundlessly, I strode across the first floor, spotting two men, a blonde and redhead, sitting in the far corner, both reading silently in each others’ company. Raphael glanced up at me, nodding in greeting as I offered a slight smile in return. After all, he acted almost like an older brother of sorts, refereeing fights (usually between Valon and Alister) which I often stood on the sidelines to watch, stepping in at times when it got out of hand. All in all, we managed to form a friendship out of respect; nothing deep like the one I’d inadvertently formed with Valon, but one of the few in my entire life nonetheless. Alister, on the other hand, merely lifted his eyes from his novel for a few moments to study me with hard gray eyes before resuming his reading. Really, I could expect little more on his part. The aloof biker seemed to tolerate me at best though, given his nature, it was hard to know for certain. Fortunately, he certainly preferred me over Mai as we apparently shared more opinions regarding her attitude than I’d like to admit. _The enemy of my enemy is my ally,_ I supposed in that context, entering the elevator and heading up to my quarters.

Clicking my room door shut, I sauntered to the bed, picking up the heavy and worn hardback on the way, and laid leaning against the headrest to continue on with rereading my favorite story. But, then again, I knew quite well the likelihood of actually getting much further was small, especially living in the same building as a certain Australian with a penchant to burst in unannounced.  And, as expected, he did, footsteps falling just in the hall. But as I set down my book in expectance for his usual antics, the footfalls suddenly ceased as my door remained shut. Knitting my eyebrows together at the unexpected change in routine, I swung my legs over the side of the mattress and headed towards the doorway myself. Outside stood Valon, as I originally thought, though rather than barging in with some random idea of an activity rolling off his tongue, he lifted one hand to scratch at the back of his head with nervous energy. Something was up, and I sure didn’t like it.

“Valon? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just wonderin’ if,” he stopped awkwardly before starting over. “There’s someplace I wanted ta show you if you felt like comin’.”

“Of course,” I answered almost automatically, though admittedly oddly charmed by his uncharacteristic discomfort, “Just hold on. I won’t be long.” And I retreated back into my room, leaving the door open only a fraction before some pieces finally came together in my head. Was this a date? The thought made me freeze for a short moment. After all, it would explain Valon’s jumpiness and hesitation at my door when, on most days, he’d be overflowing with an endless supply of energy. That, and the fact that he was actually taking me _out_ as opposed to one of the other rooms within the building.  A nervous tingle went down my spine, effectively mobilizing my muscles as I tossed a black leather jacket over my royal blue camisole and form-fitting gray jeans. This would all turn out fine, whatever it was. Besides, he was a friend-- a good friend-- so why should this mean anything more? Perhaps it was just another of his ridiculous ideas, one that he had planned somewhere else?

Grabbing my helmet, I shook my head and let out a long breath, knowing full well that none of my consolations helped me in the slightest. But before my fears would force me to lose my nerve, I pushed open the door to find Valon leaning against the opposite wall, trying to appear casual though I couldn’t miss the slight tension in his shoulders or the way his eyes were trained intently on the floor. “Ready to go?”

Immediately at the sound of my voice, his head snapped up. “Yeah, follow me.” Immediately, he pushed off the wall, leading me to the elevator at the end of the hall.

“So,” I broke the ensuing silence as we headed down to the lobby, “do you plan on telling me where you’re taking me?”

“But wouldn’ tha’ ruin the surprise?” He flashed me a smile, a bit of his usual self resurfacing as I let out a relaxed laugh. Not so much because it was funny at all, but… “’ey, what’re you laughin’ at?”

“Nothing. Just seeing you act _serious_ for once. The world must be ending or something.”

“What? I know ‘ow ta be serious, mate! I jus’ don’ like ta.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” At that, the elevator doors opened, revealing the lobby and the presence of the other two bikers, now standing off to one side conversing with each other before looking up to find Valon and I about to leave the building.

“And where are you two going?” Raphael questioned calmly, a knowing look glinting in his ice-blue eyes.

“Forgotten about Little Miss Loudmouth already?” Alister added on, trying to agitate Valon and doing a decent job of it while I had to hold back a laugh.

“Jus’ shut up, both o’ you! It’s none o’ your business,” Valon fired back at them, picking up the pace and heading toward his bike rather than hanging around to fight with Alister for once. And after glancing back at the other two for a short moment, I followed the Australian’s lead out the door beyond the outskirts of the city.

 

“’ere we are,” Valon finally announced, welcome words after several hours of nonstop riding. Simultaneously, the distinct, clean scent of water reached me as we came to a slow stop, telling me where Valon had led me.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” The building was beautiful  and alluringly simple, mansion-like and with a view directly over the ocean. The type of place you saw only in book and magazines but could never imagine shelling out the enormous price tag to actually buy. A seaside house, and Valon was leading me right up the steps to it. “Your place?” I ventured disbelievingly.

He nodded, pushing open the already unlocked door and waiting for me to step inside. “I don’ come ‘ere much, but for some reason it’s one o’ the few places I’ve felt at ‘ome.”

I turned back to him sympathetically, finding him looking over the house, a faraway light in his gaze. It was something I knew far too well. The feeling of not belonging, like nobody cared to understand. As if… No, I wasn’t about to tread those dark hallways of my past; not right here, not right now.

“You wanna see more?” he inquired softly, managing to keep intact the blanket of serenity which had befallen us. He reached for my hand, which I gave him without a second thought, and led me up the staircase to the second story, past wide open rooms until he chose to pull me into one where the curtains danced gracefully in the gentle breeze. It was neatly furnished with two beds separated by a small table and a couple wooden dressers against the wall opposite while an open balcony let the now orange-tinted sunlight flood across the paneled floor.

“I can’t believe you live here,” I mused.

“Yeah, well the office ain’t all tha’ welcomin’,” he responded dryly, sitting on the bed nearest the balcony and gesturing for me to join him, which I did. “An’ there’re some things I wanted ta tell you, ‘ere where we’re alone.”

Instinctively, my guard went up. “Like what?”

He hesitated before answering. “First, I know there’s somethin’ else botherin’ you, but I promise not ta pry if tha’s what you want. I jus’ wanna let you know that I’m ‘ere for you.”

“Thank you,” was all I could manage at the moment, so obviously inadequate though I knew it was. “You have no idea how it feels to know that someone understands, someone cares to listen.” But, then again, did I really understand it either? All my life running from the demons that darkened my past, trusting so few and losing so much every time. By any right or reason, it seemed best to never tell, never open up, never trust again, yet  there was every muscle inside yelling, screaming to do otherwise. Crying with the pain of holding it all inside. Hungry, craving for a release as though it were a drug. The two forces played a vicious tug-of-war, vying for the chance to decide how I might act before a primal, unreasonable instinct took over. “So I guess there’s no reason for me to hide this anymore.”

Some unreadable expression entered his now widened blue eyes. “No, Taylor, you really don’ ‘ave to…”

“But I think that I do.” And I knew that part of me did, pushing aside the other which tried to conjure up the shadows, sway me from my choice.

Valon, recognizing somehow my desperation, said nothing for a few moments and nodded sympathetically, grasping my dangling hand warmly. “Then who am I to stop you?”

His comforting presence and words urged me to speak, the surge of words spilling past my lips, barely waiting as I steadied my nerves. “When I was a kid, I guess I didn’t really notice it at first; things weren’t as bad back then. I just thought they were overprotective, like lots of parents with their first child. It wasn’t until I started growing up when things changed; I wanted to be more independent and they wouldn’t have that, turning stricter and eventually bordering on abusive even. They said they wanted me to be completely perfect, manufactured to their standards, something I wasn’t and didn’t want to be. Beatings for the slightest infraction: a misplaced book here, a tiny detail of their directions not followed there. They never let me see the outside world, make friends for myself, claiming it would make me an aberration in their eyes. All I ever got were the stolen glances at the happy families through the window or the rare times I could sneak out.

“There was no one I could trust except for my younger brother Drake. Only the two of us knew the full extent of what was happening, but there wasn’t anything we could do about it besides provide comfort against the pain and suffering. That is, until one day when he just disappeared, vanished from my life. It was five years ago, but to this day I don’t know what happened to him or where he is; I can only hope he ran away to find a better life. Our parents refused to regret their actions, opting to act as though he never existed. The nerve of them to act like this drove me to consider leaving too, but they descended on me even harder from then on, stopping any chance of my escape and hating the fact that I was resentful of what they did and longing for the only kind person I ever knew.”

“So then, you ‘aven’t ‘ad anyone all these years?” he asked carefully.

“Pretty much, and I hate that they stole that from me. It was something I didn’t want to remember, something that I needed to move on from. So when I could leave for college, get out on my own, I jumped at the chance, despite how much of a riot it caused before I finally got out. I was hoping that I could finally put it all behind me and start a new life in a new country, but the shadows somehow followed me, refusing to let me forget.

“I thought that might all change when I met Corey in Paris. So gentle, compassionate, selfless, a bringer of light when I couldn’t escape that sea of darkness. He helped me make better memories, ones that blocked out the past as long as he was around. But now…” I took a long breath, repressing the grief I thought the Orichalcos was supposed to prevent. “Well, it’s all bittersweet. Or more bitter, really.”

The cold metal of the cross pendant tingled under my fingers, working its odd, soothing magic. Drawn by my nervous movement, I could see him eying the necklace with a veiled interest. “So what is that?” he eventually asked, the timbre of his voice laced with an undercurrent beneath his curiosity. “I saw you holdin’ it before. It means somethin’ special ta you?”

I nodded. “It’s one of the few things I’ve kept from my youth. It’s been too long to remember where it came from,” I frowned, bothered by that fact as usual, and turned the pendant over, revealing a single word – strength – engraved on the back, “and it’s been a constant reminder to never give up. Somehow it’s barely gotten me through everything else until now, but I guess that does make sense; it’s harder to get over the things you cherish than the ones you want to forget.” Dragging my eyes from the golden charm, I was met with light sapphire blue. “But now, with the Orichalcos I think I can finally get on with my life.”

“But, Taylor.” A softness entered those blue eyes, a look I’d only ever seen reserved for Mai. “You know, you’re strong on your own. Don’t you see? The Orichalcos ‘asn’t done tha’; you made yourself strong. The fact you’re tryin’ to do all this is proof o’ that.”

“How do you know that?”

Valon didn’t respond immediately, unusually contemplative of his answer. “’Cause I’ve ‘ad to go through it, too. Before I came ‘ere, the only ‘ome I ever knew was burned down by a group o’ thugs. Course I fought them and got meself sent to prison for it. Dartz got me outta that dump, but him and the Orichalcos didn’ get rid o’ what ‘appened or make it any easier. So I ended up fallin’ back on the only thing that mattered ta me before: victory. But there were people who tried to make me see winnin’ wasn’ everythin’. Includin’ you.”

“What? Me?” It was the last thing I’d expected.

“Yeah, seein’ you made me remember there’re things more important than winnin’, things that go deeper. It’s cause o’ you I was able to not be wha’ I was before. Taylor…” his voice drifted off as he began to lean in closer.

But my heart raced, fear-ridden, speeding with each passing moment. My mind’s eye could see no more than the evening when Corey first kissed me under the setting sun. Overwhelmed, I pulled back, turning towards the other wall so as not to see the betrayal I’d surely caused. “Valon – I just – I’m sorry…” I apologized lamely, not having any idea of what to say before walking out to stand on the balcony.

There, the cool, salty breeze brushed against my skin, but it still felt as though liquid fire rushed through my veins. How could I have been so cold-hearted? Pushing him away and closing up after he had been so true about how he felt? I knew I said I was ready to move on, but was I really? What was wrong with me?

Too far absorbed in my own thoughts, I didn’t notice hi coming to stand next to me until we were both leaning against the balcony rail, watching as the sunset painted the sky in pinks and oranges. Uncomfortably, I broke the lingering silence. “I should be going. To get back before it’s really late.”

I turned, but the touch of Valon’s hand on my arm stopped me, sending electricity pulsating up my skin. “Taylor, jus’ stay the night,” he pleaded, the pain evident. “It’ll be dark. Please.” And I could do nothing but agree, knowing that if I did anything otherwise, it would be a mistake I would regret forever, even more so than the one I’d already made.

Soon enough, night fell and darkness shrouded all, but sleep yet eluded me. With a sigh, I rolled to my side and, my eyes having adjusted to the blackness, could see Valon, already asleep in the bed next to mine. Easily, I could make out the lines of his face, now free of any hurt without the distractions of consciousness, and surprisingly innocent. Like that of the teenager he should have been as opposed to the hardship facing adult he had been forced to become.

But then, in that case, was it not the same for me? I rolled back over to face the ceiling. Thinking about this wouldn’t help me now; rather, it was likely doing the opposite. Determined, I closed my eyes shut, longing to have a peaceful rest, but knowing full well I would never be able to face the repercussions that would come the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make me really happy! Please?


	6. A Painful Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betrayal comes not without consequences, and the night at the beach house proves no different.

                What had happened to my life? Just a couple of weeks ago, though it felt  far longer than that, I had been stuck in Paris, unable to cope with the overwhelming grief of Corey’s death, the shadows threatening to send me to a place beyond help, a place I would never be able to escape. Then Valon had come along, almost like a saint in that unexplainable way of his, offering me a way out, salvation, giving hope and meaning where I thought it had disappeared forever. But now, it was only a cold emptiness, devoid of all emotions; hope, despair, happiness all vanishing like specters in a rush of chill wind. At one time, maybe I could have appreciated it, this not feeling, being untouched by the crueler thoughts my mind conjured; now, I couldn’t be so sure.

                Laying on my back atop my bed in the Paradius building, I moved my hands behind my head, thinking, remembering. Only a few days ago, I left from the beach home alone, realizing some secret, hidden part of me wished Valon hadn’t already left in the earlier hours of the morning. Of course, he had more than every right to leave, given what I’d done less than twelve hours earlier, but that offered no consolation. Since my return, Dartz had sent me on a multitude of missions, collecting powerful souls, defeating world-famous duelists to fuel the rise of the Leviathan, to cleanse the Earth, but it all meant nothing to me, being little more than a distraction from the harsh realities of life and the loneliness in this seemingly god-forsaken place.

                Inwardly I sighed, seeing those events play through my head. I’d hardly said a word to Valon since that night; what little exchange we had was limited to passing, terse greetings in the halls, entirely uncharacteristic of the normally exuberant persona I began to miss. Yet, I wasn’t truly sure if I wanted more. Already, just the sight of him bored a burning hole of regret straight through my heart, a pain debilitating enough to my shattered conscience as it was. Besides that, the bit I had seen him. He had once again begun his pursuit of Mai, as if that night and everything between us had never happened, been no more than a dream.

                I knew it would be best for me to forget it, let go of the memory, but it was something I’d already proven unable of actually doing. My mind chose to fixate on it instead, analyzing each detail as the moment played repeatedly,  incessantly in my head, each time with some other, better choice I could have made but didn’t. With a low moan, I turned to glance out the window and, seeing some dim evening light still left dying in the sky, rose to cross the room, grabbing my helmet swiftly before shutting the door behind me. Laying still hadn’t helped in the slightest, and I had to get out, do something, find a distraction; hopefully a ride through the city and its cool air was what I needed to take my mind off of things.

                But I should have known it wouldn’t go the way I’d hoped.

               The sun set and night had fallen without incident, my head clear and thoughts quiet for the first time in a long while. However, as I rode on through the night, the bright pale green light appeared in my peripheral vision. Turning to skid to a rough stop, the full view of the Sacred Seal descending from the sky filled my vision, tensing my muscles as I knew, without a doubt, who had just played that card. I hadn’t seen him at all that day and knew that he still had a score to settle as of yet. And as I set off for the other end of the city, the wind whistling shrilly in my ears, I could only hope he would be the one to come out of this duel alive.

 

                Racing through the city streets at likely illegal speeds, I reached the site of the duel, following the unnatural glow and pulling into the shadows of a nearby building. But those shadows weren’t enough to block out the brightness of the pale green seal burning on the ground, trapping the two teens, both breathing heavily, on the inside. Valon stood at my left, his armor apparently destroyed and field entirely empty. Opposite him was Joey Wheeler, equally exhausted and wearing his own armor as his dragon stood at his side and two face-downs appeared in front of him. Across the clearing and also outside the Seal, Mai watched the action unfold, a disgusted, sour expression on her face despite the fact that, from what I could tell, both the duelists were fighting for her. Frankly, I wasn’t at all surprised.

                Silently, I pressed myself up against a brick wall, shrouded by its shadows and immediately grateful for the dark clothing. Fortunately, none of the three noticed me; I was far enough away that they wouldn’t find me without trying, but close enough to make out what was being said. Besides, I had no reason to reveal myself at the moment, being unwilling to argue with Mai again and knowing that barging into the duel wouldn’t do any good to anyone. This had absolutely nothing to do with me after all.

                “And there are way too many people countin’ on me to let you walk away with a victory.” I finally registered Wheeler’s speech, which only confirmed my last suspicions. They were fighting for her.

                “Oh, like you’re gonna walk away with one,” Valon retorted sarcastically. “Please, it looks to me like you can barely stand, let alone walk, mate. And might I remind you, there’s someone countin’ on my victory, too.” His words, though marred by the distance, rang clear as bells in my ears as my resent towards the other woman burned stronger. He’d just about give the world for her, and she would care in the slightest. It just wasn’t right; he deserved so much better than that. And, I selfishly realized with a start, I didn’t want to lose him, didn’t want to lose another person who had rescued me from the darkness, someone whom I thought fate had sent me to trust without hurt. Fate was a cruel thing.

                Forcibly, I turned my attention back to the duel, coming to terms with the fact that, whether he knew it or not, more than one person was counting on his victory. And it looked like, for once, I wouldn’t be disappointed. Valon rose in a newly formed suit of armor as his “Phoenix Gravitation” card dissolved in front of him, fading into nothingness. “Well, I gotta say it’s been fun, Wheeler, but all good things must come to an end.” He spoke light-heartedly, as usual, which eased my mind in the slightest, his confidence allowing me the ability to believe in the best. “And I’m plannin’ to set you off with a bang right now.”

                “Your helmet must be on too tight, ‘cause you forgot all about the two face-down cards I played!” Even if I couldn’t quite see it, I knew the surprise which showed itself in Valon’s expression, a weight dropping in my stomach.

                Fate had just dealt her cruel hand once more.

                And all I could do was watch, stunned into silence as Wheeler revealed the first of his two cards, stealing one of Valon’s armor cards from the grave. Then, as he played his chance card, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was even worth it to hope anymore; anyone with a mind could guess where this would end up. Of course, he did as expected, pulling his Legendary Dragon card which materialized before him, fusing itself with the stolen armor piece. No good could possibly come from this.

                But Valon closed his eyes, smiling to himself. “Jus’ when I think you’re at the end o’ your rope, you come back wi’ somethin’ like this.” He clenched a fist in front of himself before continuing. “I’ve never fought a duel like this in my life. You’re pushin’ me to be my best; that’ll make my victory all the more rewarding.” He lowered his arm, focusing again on his opponent. “So gimme your best shot!”

                Wheeler nodded. “You got it!”

                From my vantage point, I watched as the two duelists flew towards each other, both braced for one final attack. Rooted to the spot, I saw as they made contact, the pure force of the collision creating a spectacular light show, a bright beacon shooting into the sky, surely visible for miles. A split second later, the shock wave crashed into me, pressing my back into the cold stone wall behind. As quickly as it began, the pressure eased up, my body adjusting, yet I still found myself unable to budge, despite the lack of a reason for me to remain where I was. The duel was near done, and they’d see me soon enough anyways, so why did my limbs refuse to listen to my brain’s commands? I cursed inwardly at myself, waiting for my body to snap out of its shock while the cacophony of the battle drowned out everything except my thoughts.

                Finally, the blinding light died out, the only sound left a slight residual ringing which lingered in my ears. After the seemingly endless torture of waiting, my anxiety could be subdued at finally seeing the duel’s end.

               I gasped, feeling my sharp intake of breath as Valon flew backwards, his blue armor crumbling to pieces around him. Almost defying physics, he righted himself, skidding to a stop and breathing heavily as his life points officially dropped to zero. So then, this really was the end. “You did it. You won,” he forced out between labored breaths. “Congratulations,” he finished good-naturedly, shutting his eyes and dropping to one knee, his energy almost entirely spent. Involuntarily, my heart picked up its already frantic pace, fortunately also bringing life back into my frozen limbs. Taking advantage of it, I ran stealthily closer, sticking still to the concealment of the dark. Eventually stopping behind Wheeler, slightly to his left, I knew they could all see me with little more than a passing glance, not that it really mattered any more. “Goodbye,” he addressed Mai, the pain agonizingly evident in his voice, sending a pain through my chest not unlike that which I had felt in the beach house.

                “It’s my fault,” she whispered, looking stricken, but instead of feeling pity for her, I could only see red for a moment. How dare she treat him so callously only to pretend to care now? It was just sadistic. She didn’t deserve his compassion, his love! And-

                My tirade was cut short. “Don’ be silly, Mai,” Valon’s voice brought me back to the present. “I caused my own downfall. I thought if I won I could make you forget about Joey Wheeler. But now I understand why ‘e meant so much to you. The guy’s got heart.” He turned back to the blonde teen, and I stiffened slightly, knowing that, without a doubt, he could see me, bringing back the weight of guilt as it ran rampant through my veins. “’ey, Wheeler, it’s up t’ you now. Save Mai.” His balance began to vacillate as his focus shifted ever so subtly, sapphire eyes locking with mine. And just that split second-long glance revealed to me so much that he normally kept hidden beneath his perpetual façade of cheer: the loneliness of a young boy forced to fight alone against the harsh realities of the world, longing for the one person who really, truly cared, and something else, something more complex I couldn’t try to recognize in the spur of the moment. Almost to myself, I whispered his name, throat suddenly dry as I took a step forward to the brink of the shadows. Desperately, I wanted to say more --  to hear something more from him – but I was denied this last request as Valon’s last ounce of energy was spent, his eyes slipping closed and his consciousness wavering. His form went limp, sending him crashing to the cold, hard concrete while the pale green Seal closed in around his body.

                And when his soul departed, taken by the Orichalcos into the ominous clouds above, it was only a shred of pride that kept me from letting his name rip raw from my throat. However, as the emerald beam began retreating into the dark skies, all restraints snapped, and I sprinted past Wheeler into the open clearing.

                “What the…?” Wheeler mumbled, entirely bewildered by my presence as I skidded violently to my knees beside Valon’s body. As I moved myself in closer to my fallen friend, Mai had made her way over as well, though I questioned why. Not that I could say I really cared.

                “What are you doing here, runt?” she addressed me coldly, scowl back in place the way it always was in my presence.

                Irritated, I glared back at her from my place on the ground, despair hardening to anger instantly. “Proving that I even have a soul to begin with and showing compassion to someone who deserves it. Ever heard of that?” I deadpanned.

                Like I’d expected, she continued without bothering to listen to me, much less answer. “You aren’t supposed to be here, so beat it, kid!”

                “Yeah, right,” I scoffed, “like I’m supposed to believe that he wanted you here. That’s why he never told you his plans.” I could begin to see her bristling with hatred, though it did nothing to faze me. “Besides, do you honestly think that he’d be better off left with you?” I asked venomously.

                The older woman narrowed her eyes. “What do you think you’re saying?”

                “Oh, I know perfectly well what I’m saying. He’s willing to give his life – no, he _did_ give his life – for you, but does that mean a thing to you? No, of course not. All you ever gave him back and ever will give him is your unfailing cruelty.” I smirked slightly. “Personally, I find it baffling as to why he tried to help you so much.”

                The anger flared brighter in her expression, becoming absolutely livid. “How dare you accuse me for that! I never asked for that loser to follow me around! He should’ve known-!”

                “Yeah, yeah,” I waved her off dismissively. “Don’t even bother with that whole ‘I work alone’ speech. I’m not an idiot. But that’s no reason to justify your actions. You don’t deserve his concern.”

                “And you do?” she countered, and I had to admit the words stung, but contempt now kept me from betraying my stoic expression. “But I oughta get rid of you right now for all that!” She stepped closer threateningly.

                “Except,” I interrupted, unexpectedly calm, “that’s not why you’re here, is it?” Didn’t you want your revenge against Joey Wheeler?” From the corner of my eye, I could see Wheeler look up in surprise from where he stood awkwardly off to the side. “Your coming here wasn’t for Valon at all, so why should either of us stop you now?”

                For a moment, she contemplated before spitting out, “Fine,” and stalking over to the other boy who, as Valon had pointed out, looked like he could barely stand on his own two feet. “But don’t even think this is over.” Honestly, long shot though it was, I almost hoped he would win if only so I wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore.

                Hearing the sound of both duel disks activating, I let out a small sigh of relief to release the left over anger and turned back to Valon, fortunate that the argument hadn’t proceeded any further. Firmly, I grasped his shoulder and turned him over, pulling him into my lap. Gently now, I placed a hand behind his fluffy brown hair and, for a long time, looked into his face, wishing I could see that mischievous sparkle in those bright, lively blue eyes.

                He was right in saying it wasn’t Mai’s fault, though; it was mine. Maybe if that night at the beach house hadn’t ended as it did, maybe if I hadn’t so callously pushed him away, this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe I could have moved on, away from the past. But, did I truly want to forget it all? Could I let Corey and Paris all go so easily? After all, he had been the one light in the darkness of my past. It would be wrong to go on, almost as if he meant nothing, wouldn’t it?

                Then again, what was Valon to me, really? He was, without a doubt, a friend – a good friend – but was he possibly more than that? He had lifted me from my lowest point, even when he barely knew me. Did that mean I felt anything for him though? Did I return the feelings he had so openly expressed to me? My even greater anguish in seeing him fall, another victim to the Orichalcos, seemed to try and tell me something. But my rejections of him at his most vulnerable told another story entirely, making me worse than even Mai.

                At that, the other woman’s words came back to me, hurting more now without the rush of adrenaline fueling my hatred. “And you do?” she had said. Only now, thinking more on it, I found her words to be all too true. She was right. I didn’t deserve his friendship or concern, no more than she did. Not in the slightest.

                Hot tears began to blur at the edges of my vision, and I hastily wiped them away with the back of my hand, my thoughts and emotions a completely incomprehensible mess. One I had no hope of even trying to sort out. One that, if he were still here, he could make disappear entirely, just as they always had with Corey.

                Only now, neither of them were here, and Valon’s face wore the same peaceful expression as it had at the dead of night in his seaside home. Like then, it took some of the edge off my nerves as I could hope that, wherever he was, he was free from the pains of the physical world, just as he might have been while in the land of dreams. The only difference was that, then, the silence had been simply temporary, one which would break with the morning; now it threatened to last forever, stealing his voice from this world eternally. And that night I had cruelly distanced myself, refusing to care in the way I should have. I was not about to make that mistake again.

                Gingerly, I brushed his brown bangs away from his closed eyes, making up my mind, solidifying my decision. I knew what I had to do.

                Leaving Valon leaning against the nearby fence for a few short minutes, I retrieved my motorcycle, scraping up a facedown card that lay in my path. Somehow, I managed to drag him over to my bike and seat his limp form in front of me, the vehicle dipping ever so slightly at the added weight. Revving up the engine, I accelerated slowly, carefully, but something made me stop before I’d even left the clearing.

                Wheeler kneeled on the unforgiving ground, pulling close the blonde woman who lay prone and soul-less in his arms. Apparently he had pulled out a victory despite his exhaustion during the time I’d been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to even think of the duel going on simultaneously. But the grief now wrote itself plainly across his features. It was a pain I had experienced far too often, and, though we were enemies, one which even hurt me to see. He had been doing the right thing in helping his friend; he shouldn’t be have been punished in this way. “Hey, Wheeler,” I called out to him, half on impulse at seeing how stricken the duel had left him. He lifted his gaze to meet mine, the deep founded hatred set in his eyes.

                “Haven’t you done enough? This is your fault too!”

                “Save your breath,” I cut him short. “I’m not here to listen to one of your speeches, too.” I inhaled deeply, reminding myself that this was right, contrary though it was to what Dartz would have wanted while also going against my deep dislike of the woman in his arms. “Look, there’s someplace I can take you both, since I’m pretty sure you don’t want to leave her here. It’s somewhere safe; I can promise you that.”

                His eyes narrowed suspiciously at me; he doubted everything I said, and understandably so. “And why should I believe anything that you low-lives say?”

                I sighed and tried to concentrate on my bike; it was getting difficult to balance just standing here, especially with the added weight. “Because I can see how much you really care for her. You’d have to be a complete idiot to overlook your grief at losing her. And I’ve got to respect that.”

                “What, so this is all just a game with rules you’ve gotta follow?!” he snapped, misreading my meaning.

                “No, I understand how it feels to lose someone close, someone who means a lot to you.” Suddenly, I became more aware of Valon seated in front of me, but I pushed the discomfort down for the time being. “Trust me, I know it hurts, and it’s not something I think you deserve to suffer through. Not with what you’ve done for her.”

                He still eyed me warily, but seemed to have dropped his guard a bit as I restarted the engine. “ If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll take you down next,” he reluctantly agreed, thinly veiling it with a threat.

                “Fine,” I conceded, “I’ll give you my word if that satisfies you. But hurry up if you want to follow; I’m not waiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to update the last few chapters of this quickly so I can get out the Christmas shot I have in the works. Comments and kudos, please?


	7. Remembrance and Retribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are discovered, and choices are made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I really can't do summary, so excuse that pathetic excuse for...I don't even wanna say summary but yeah. Anyway, I'm gonna upload the last handful of chapters in one go, so there'll be more notes about the future of this fic at the end of the last one. Have fun!

              There was nothing. It was only numbness. Every part of me fully expected to be crushed by grief at this point, sobbing into the darkness as the ravenous monster of regret threatened to tear me to pieces from the inside out. Expected to have broken down, unable to hold myself together anymore, as pain shot through my heart like bullets. But that was all false, all lies. Life wouldn’t have it that way for me, wouldn’t  grant me this chance to feel the repercussions of my actions. There was only the cold and quiet.

              Chill ocean wind threw the curtains into a wild dance set with the silent undertone of hardly healed wounds reopening at the mere sight of this beautiful place tainted so with the shadows of my guilt. Still, it was hardly the retribution I deserved to suffer through. By all rights, I should’ve been inconsolable and out-of-my-mind, not sitting straight-backed in a darkened room lit by the silver moon as sleep eluded me and a prone figure lay pale and motionless. Put thereby my own doing.

              With a loud moan, I dropped my head to my hands, rubbing fiercely at my eyes, as silent tensions began strangling me cruelly with invisible hands. The air was suddenly thick, impossible to breathe, choking me all the while.

              And that was it. I couldn’t ever escape these feelings entirely this overwhelming guilt, and I didn’t fancy leaving Valon alone with only Wheeler of all people, but I just couldn’t stay anymore, not in this house with all the haunts that remained from the past. I would surely succumb to the inescapable shadows, but if I left, the maybe by some ridiculously slim chance, things might just turn out better that way. It was the only possibility I could see. So I made up my mind, standing slowly from the bed, stumbling ever so slightly, and giving one last look around the space so modestly beautiful but tainted in the worst ways possible. Everything in its perfect place, not a single thing out of order, neat in a sterile type of way that revealed no hint of personality. Except for one thing. A fallen picture frame on the nightstand. Such a small detail, yet, it called out to me in some mysterious, unknown way. I knitted my eyebrows slightly, confused. In reality, it wasn’t all too surprising I’d missed that, but, had it been there the whole time? Even during our last encounter in this room?

              Tentatively, I reached toward the frame, grasping the smooth, polished wood, hesitating for a second as though I were intruding on something private, something I was never meant to see, but curiosity inevitably won out over logic and just about everything else as I flipped it over, letting out a startled gasp. It was a simple picture of a church, likely the one Valon had told me about, the one from his childhood that meant so much to him. But, more important than even that: it was familiar to me as well.

              Suddenly unsteady on my feet, I sank down to the mattress as my legs turned instantly to jelly and my hands gripped the frame with white knuckles. Another memory began materializing in my mind’s eye, one which I hadn’t visited in many years, long since near-forgotten and too far buried behind all the over-whelming others of my past to ever be unearthed. Until now…

 

              _It felt so good to go outside and wander the city, this new city on this exotic continent. Mom and Dad didn’t usually (read: never) let me do this even before the move, but they weren’t home, so what was the harm in sneaking out for a little bit? They weren’t coming back ‘til late and wouldn’t know if I’d ventured out and tasted freedom for once._

_I took a long breath, reveling in the way the cool air felt in my throat as I kept my way on the same street, not entirely knowing where exactly I was headed, but not caring much either. After all, this stroll had no real point; it was just a quick getaway. Suddenly, however, loud noises reached me from my left, a little ways down the road. Alarmed, I ran over, finding a group of boys fighting in a dark alley, landing  punches the way I’d only seen on TV the few times I’d been allowed to catch a glimpse at it. Well, really, it was more like two kids about my age trying to corner another, perhaps a year younger, about nine or so, who looked ready to fight back nonetheless._

_Bravely, I stepped closer to the action, even though I’d never once been in this type of situation, or anything even remotely like it, before. “What do you think you’re doing?” I interrupted loudly; this was wrong, and I wouldn’t let that fly._

_All three of them turned, surprised to see me there. After a few tense moments, the older two recovered first, growling back at me. “What’re you doin’ ‘ere, little girl? This ain’t your problem.”_

_I crossed my arms defiantly and frowned back at them, stupidly ignoring their considerable advantage in strength and size. “But I’m making it mine. This’s wrong, so stop it.”_

_A cruel smirk marred their already gruesome faces, a hungry pull at their lips. “An’ who’s gonna make us? You just put yourself in a lotta trouble, ‘cause we can’t let ya leave now.” Both of them stepped closer with a predatory gait, cracking their knuckles equally menacingly. They swung their fists experimentally a few times, and I used my smaller size to dodge them easily, but I couldn’t keep this up, not like this._

_At least luck was on my side. Out of nowhere, a blur appeared from the right side of my vision. The younger boy. He’d, like a genius, taken advantage of the distractions I’d created beating both of the others as I backed up, checking I wasn’t equally hurt. Seemingly less than a minute later, the youngest raced up to me. “C’mon,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “we should get goin’ before these blokes wake up.” And he ran off, prompting me to follow him until we reached a street brightly lit by the afternoon sun, a stark contrast to the dull, gray brick of the alley. We stopped suddenly, and he turned to me, clearly trying to put on a serious face though his eyes betrayed him. “Why’d ya do that? I can take care o’ meself, and they coulda hurt ya, too.”_

_“Yeah, you can obviously take care of yourself, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for them to gang up on you. And I’m not some damsel in distress either, you know.” Or at least, that’s what I thought. The chance to find out had never really come up before._

_Still, a wide grin spread across his face at that. “I like ya. Wanna come wi’ me?” he asked after a few moments of pause._

_“What?” I hadn’t expected that in the least._

_He shrugged animatedly. “There’s nowhere I ‘ave to be or anythin’ I gotta do. You?”_

_The question struck me harder as I realized the answer. “No, I guess not.” For once, I had time to kill before my parents could ever find out about this._

_“Good. I know someplace we can go.” He led me through the streets to a small, modest church, stepping into its grounds casually and venturing further to a back corner of the grassy area, away from where the other kids played, though I didn’t miss their wary looks as we passed by. Unperturbed, the boy flopped down in the shade of a large tree, leaning back against the trunk, and I lowered myself to the ground at his side._

_“So, do you live here?” I asked curiously, letting my gaze sweep over the courtyard._

_“Yeah, if you wanna call it that,” he responded vaguely, giving no indication of expanding on the topic._

_I cocked my head to the side. Maybe with some prompting… “Then what would you call it?”_

_He turned to me, blue eyes locking a steady gaze on my hazel. “I dunno. Me parents up an’ left a couple years ago. Fought on the streets ‘n’ all tha’ ‘til Mother Mary found me an’ tried to take me in. It’s nice ‘n’ all, but they all look a’ me like I’m some sorta mistake. Even Mother Mary kinda looks down on me.” He turned his head toward the sky, as if searching for answers in the endless sea of blue. “So I’ve never really cared ‘bout anyone else. The only thing tha’ matters is winnin’.”_

_I let my gaze soften at his account. For such a little kid, his entire life was a real sob story, a true tragedy if I’d ever heard one before. “But, isn’t there anything else that’s important?”_

_“Wha’ d’ya mean?” He eyed me lazily._

_“I guess, I’m saying there’s more to life than fighting and winning, like, maybe, doing things for people you care for. I mean, take Mother Mary. She’s probably just looking out for you, keeping you safe because she cares a lot.”_

_He nodded wordlessly, waiting a while before finally responding. “Maybe you’re right.” A carefree smile reappeared once again, lighting up his features like the innocent boy he, by all rights, should’ve been. “ ‘ey, why d’ya know this? ‘ow come I ‘aven’t seen ya ‘round before?”_

_Now it was my turn to look skyward. “My parents don’t usually let me outside much to look around and stuff. They’re kinda clingy to me and my brother and like to make sure they’re in charge of our lives. They keep telling us it’s to keep us safe or something, but it’s getting really annoying.”_

_“Then I guess it’s my turn t’ ‘elp you,” he offered playfully, though, while his voice still maintained a jovial note, his words were entirely honest. “Ya don’ really ‘ave to listen to ‘em. They’ve got no right t’ control your life. Only you can do tha’.”_

_“But, they’re my parents. How am I supposed to change anything?” The years of conditioning came back automatically._

_“ Stay strong ‘n’ stand up for yourself. Don’ depend on anyone. First thing ya learn on the streets, even if it gets kinda lonely,” he finished, somehow managing to make the conversation feel lighthearted even when it was anything but. Even when the pain in his eyes spoke of experiences far beyond his years._

_“But at least you know there’s people here who would really care about you if you’d just let them.” And I truly did mean that, not just on some impersonal, encouraging type of way; in the short time I’d known him, I had to admit that I appreciated and even enjoyed his presence. But, to be entirely honest, that wasn’t the only reason I’d chosen to respond as I did. Really, I didn’t want to talk about my situation any more, needing the time to fully consider what he had said. It was something I’d never once even considered. Did my circumstances warrant rebellion? And if it did in the future, what would I do then? How was I expected to know?_

_The boy’s shining sapphire eyes interrupted my thoughts yet again as he let loose an enthusiastic grin. “Alrigh’, I’ve got an idea. ‘ow ‘bout we start fixin’ these ‘ere problems?”_

_“What’s that supposed to mean?”_

_“I can show you ‘ow ta ‘ave some fun for once, an’ you can try ta convince me tha’ not everyone in the world is tryin’ to ‘ate me.” He rose to his feet, still leaning casually against the tree trunk and crossing his arms with a playful stubbornness. “But, I gotta warn ya, I’m not gonna make it easy.”_

_“What, is this a challenge?” I asked with mock surprise, finding my feet as well. His endless energy was absolutely infectious. “Because, if it is, I’m game. And, mark my words, I’m gonna win.”_

 

The memory ended there, but the entire encounter was so much more than simply a short hour spent outside. It’d been my first taste of fun, freedom, and real friendship. Since then, I’d pined for that which I couldn’t have, the things my parents denied me, finally giving me the reason I needed to end up fighting for myself.

But, how had I not seen it? What kind of an idiot was I? How had I never realized it was Valon this entire time? That we’d been friends, all those years back? And he’d been the one who had first shown me a new side of life, one that wasn’t all obedience and trying to please others before myself; he was the one I had to thank for finally finding the strength to leave that horrid place. Even if he hadn’t pulled me from my darkness that day in Paris and done nothing besides that since we were children, I would always owe him. Yet, he’d gone and done so much more than that for me, and what had I done in return? Condemned him to this fate anyways and sat idly all the while.

Finally, I knew that there was something that I could do, some way to atone for my actions, and nothing, save death, was stopping me.

Resolutely this time, I pushed off the bed and set down the photo reverently, just as something else began prodding insistently at my awareness. Until now, I’d tried always to suppress the memories from my past, all except the bittersweet, nostalgia-filled ones of Corey, but this time, I focused in on it, willing it to grow, to sharpen, to the point where I could make sense of the garbled colors and sensations. A searing heat, thick and unbreathable air, a burst of light teal overwhelmed soon after by orange, the unmistakable flash of gold.

Abruptly, I bristled with rage, any and all slim doubts of my plan vanishing instantaneously. I was going to Paradius – but, my remorseful side interrupted, not without doing one last thing. Deftly, I unclasped the chain around my neck and watched the gold sparkle in the silvery moonlight before turning my attention back to Valon. With where I was going and what I had planned, it was near impossible I’d ever get to see the youthful, cheery life light up his crystalline blue eyes again, and the least I could do was return what was rightfully his. I knelt down at his side, gently fastening the delicate chain around his neck as if I were trying only to keep from disturbing a peaceful sleep. How my body ached for that to be true, but I couldn’t change the past, that much I knew, no matter how much I might try. So, instead, I reached for his hand and thanked him silently, everything I wanted to express being impossible to translate into the inadequate words of the English language.

I had no idea how long I stayed just like that, but, to be completely frank, it was hard to finally let go.


	8. A Path to Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out in full, and its consequences aren't pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, crap summary cause I don't know what to do. Just FYI, this one is sorta technical, but necessary, so bear with me here.

              An eerie, pale green glow emanated off the top of the Paradius building, that sickly ominous color, the herald of death and torment itself. Someone was dueling; someone was going to lose their soul. And I couldn’t care less, as I barged violently through the glass doors, slamming my fist into the button for the elevator, mind barely registering the buzz of pain as it radiated across my knuckles. Nothing, not the ominous silence, nor the stale, cold air, meant a thing until I threw open the doors and stormed into the oft used meeting room. And at that point, I wished that a glare alone truly could kill, could materialize into daggers sharp enough to take a life by their blade.

              Dartz stood, his back to me as he watched intently something flickering in the back of the room, entirely unfazed by my dramatic entrance. “Miss Fairfax,” he addressed me at length, far too calm for my liking, enough to set my nerves further on edge as my rage flared up, hot and deadly.

              “How dare you let this happen!” I yelled at his back, letting the words rip raw at my vocal cords and echo about the cavernous space as I extracted a card, throwing it like a weapon with the intent of drawing blood by its knife-like edge. However, much to my dismay, it stopped mid-air with a flick of the man’s wrist, floating inside a bubble pulsating with green energy, spinning freely within. “What made it okay to take the souls of your trusted Swordsmen!?” I added, staring pointedly at the floating card, spun now at the correct angle to behold the image of Valon trapped within, too weak to even fight back any longer. Such a far cry from the jovial, energetic, passionate boy I’d come to know – come to remember – for that boy was gone, seemingly by my hand, but caused by events set into motion long before I could’ve ever done a thing. “And to think you cared for them,” I spat.

              He spoke without turning, letting his voice carry over the length of the conference room, a show of power, that he needn’t lower himself to my status. “That is where you are wrong. I have not cared for you, as you so sentimentally put it. You are all nothing more than tools for me to raise the Leviathan and cleanse the Earth. And what’s more, you all offer me powerful souls of your own; Alister already belongs to me, as does your dear Valon, and it seems Raphael will not be much longer.”

              I clenched my fists, livid but completely unsurprised. “I should’ve known from the start. Nobody with any trace of compassion would burn down a church and accuse a young boy of murder!”

              I could hear the smirk on his face as he answered, “So it seems you have finally realized it, I gather. Honestly, I was beginning to wonder when you might figure it out, if even that would prove possible for your pathetic mind.” He paused before adding cryptically, “It seems I was wrong.”

              “What is that supposed to mean?” I growled lowly, hiding my deeper confusion underneath easily summoned up suspicion.

              “Why, have you never wondered the reason this memory remained hidden from you for so long, so deeply buried you did not even know it existed?  Or did you truthfully think I might allow the possibility you two might remember one another?”

              “You didn’t,” I snarled through my teeth at the man I’d once believed to be kind and generous, only to be proved so very wrong.

              “Of course I did, you foolish girl! I had watched you both for some time and, recognizing your potentials, sealed your futures from the start. Your little meeting, however, I had not foreseen. Fortunately, a simple memory spell remedied that with ease. Neither of you remembered each other, and you, my dear, forgot both the fire and my presence.” I could hear the condescension in his tone; he knew what the flash of teal in my mind was, and the fact that I’d even remembered it at all.

              “Well, looks like your stupid little plan didn’t work. I remember everything, all of it, and I’m willing to bet Valon did too,” I spat back triumphantly. He couldn’t have complete control, and it felt good to make sure _he_ was the one aware of his failures, for he deserved far worse than that in punishment. Far worse than what I could even imagine inflicting.

              “Ah, how naïve you are to think I didn’t notice nor plan for such an event. Rather, both of your memories returned just as I needed them to.”

              “You – you did what?” My guard began to fall of its own accord, disbelief settling in. “ _You_ put our memories back?”

              “Obviously.” He rose regally, turning to face me with malicious, dual colored eyes. “It was under my power _when_ precisely each of you regained pieces of your past. Your Valon always was meant to remember first, for the longing of something he could never have would eventually bring him into my possession.” So I was right; Valon did remember. But when? How long had he known? What kind of torture had I forced him to suffer through? The rejection, the cold distance, it truly was all my fault, then, the fact he was gone. “As for you, Miss Fairfax,” Dartz continued on, paying any visible reaction of mine no heed, “your memories began returning shortly before Valon’s final duel, though your own reluctance to relive your childhood further kept them at bay.” Suddenly his expression turned thoughtful, a disturbing enough image to set me on edge once again, cold exterior, battered and bruised as it was, rising up before me once more. “I suppose I must thank you for that, though you have been quite an assistance to me in more ways than you can realize.”

              “You’re kidding.”

              “Why, you remember how unaccepting Valon was to your help, and that presumed piece of wisdom you offered to him. That particular thought I allowed him to remain in subconscious possession of; it saved me quite a bit of time to convince him to follow me here and trust his associates.”

              That revived the flame, this hearing Dartz speak of my friend as though he were no more than a stray dog to be trained, rather than the remarkable human being I knew from experience. The kind of person worth fighting for. It set me back on the offense. “He only came here because he was desperate to get off that living nightmare of a prison you put him into! All because of your lies!”

              “What you fail to realize,” he countered, sickeningly calm, “is how effective my lies have been in accomplishing the revival of the Great Beast.”

              “I’ve failed in realizing nothing,” I countered coldly, unable to care in even the slightest any longer about raising the Leviathan. What matter was that to me?

              “Have you already forgotten that there was a reason I refused to let you experience those memories in the first place?”

              “Well, if you’re so all-knowing, why don’t you deign to enlighten me?” I suggested sarcastically, though a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder.

              “If I must spell it out for you in simple terms, your knowing each other would have rendered both you and Valon useless to me, and I could not have that.” A shiver passed through my body at that, not from cold, but from the disquieting calm of his tone as he continued. “As you well know, the Orichalcos feeds off the darkness in the human heart, but had you found solace in each other and your shared pasts, well, our current predicament would not have provided me with the fuel I require, and nor would the catalyst which brought you here have had the desired effect.”

              “Catalyst?” The word caught my attention for a reason I couldn’t name. “Quit speaking in riddles and just come out with it already.”

              “Oh, how pathetic. Is it not plain? I ordered your beloved killed in France,” he emphasized the last few words for maximum effect, entire countenance radiating madness.

              I stepped back, stunned by the revelation, until the shock morphed instantaneously to contempt. “You! You’re the reason my life was ruined!” The ring on my hand began glowing sporadically, threatening to sear my skin. “You’re the reason Corey’s dead!”

              “But aren’t I also the one who led you back to Valon in the end?” he returned smoothly, without missing a single beat. “I did send him to Paris after all.”

              “So what?” I refused to let on exactly how much our meeting on the banks of the Seine meant. “You’re still a murderer, a sadist, and you enjoy seeing all of us suffer. And for that, you will pay.” I began stepping forward only to collide with some sort of force field as I approached the Atlantean. A grating laugh scratched my throat. “What, scared now, you coward? Scared because for whatever reason you told me everything and now you’ve got some little shield to protect yourself?” I smirked in spite of the heavy feeling in my gut.

              Dartz merely shook his head as if in disappointment, gaze remaining cold and impassive. “It seems it is time I hire some more competent help. After all, Miss Fairfax, do you not realize it is not I who is surrounded, but you?” Instinctively, I pointed my line of sight downwards, finding the glowing green six-pointed star encircling me, beginning its slow close. My eyes widened as he spoke again. “For your rage shall now empower the Orichalcos, bringing me yet another step closer to cleansing the Earth.”

              Of course he didn’t care if I knew his plans or about my own past, kept secret for so long. In a matter of seconds, I would be gone, and it wouldn’t mean a thing if the truth had been revealed to me. Just like he didn’t care about whether Valon might’ve pieced it all together; the Orichalcos took him too. But it didn’t mean I wasn’t going down easily. Not by a long shot.

              _Stay strong,_ an Australian voice whispered in my head. And I did, staring defiantly at Dartz until the Seal closed in on me, pulling at the very fibers in my body, shredding them to bits. Drained of my strength, I dropped to my knees, fighting against the pain which refused to subside. Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision, and I tried to push away the dancing black spots which obscured my sight, leaving me, in moments, with nothing,

              Except the eternal emptiness.


	9. Second Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions of both the good ad slightly-less-good kinds, but it's really not too bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Need I apologize for crap summaries anymore?

"Taylor!" a muffled voice called out in the darkness. "Please wake up!" I hadn't heard that voice in months, yet I could still place it as easily as my own. But I almost didn't dare believe this was anything other than a dream, and opening my eyes would rip me from it. "Taylor, please, it's me." The voice was neared near now; I could feel the warm and calming presence.

Finally, I opened my eyes dazedly, finding the ink black sky all around me and the ground far below; admittedly, weirder things had happened before. What really threw me was the translucent figure floating in from of me, warm brown eyes holding the same gentle kindness as in life. I almost couldn't believe it; even hearing his voice had not prepared me to come face to face once again. In immediate response, I propelled myself forward, clutching the boy fiercely and feeling the gesture returned just as passionately.

I might have had almost no idea what was really going on, but I did know one thing. Whatever this was, I wanted to stay, didn't want it to end any time soon, not ever.

"I've missed you so much, you have no idea," I said, surprised I could maintain even the slightest sliver of self-control.

"And you think I haven't worried about you?" he reassured me in subdued tones. "That you weren't on my mind every second I was trapped inside that thing?"

"Really? Every second?" I tried joking lightly, tried restoring the status quo, as I moved back a fraction to see Corey again for the first time since the tragedy in Paris. The tragedy. That brought me back to the surrealism that was somehow, possibly, our reality. "But how is this all happening? Is it – and you – just all a dream? Because, if it is, I don't know if I want to wake back up."

A light smile graced his features, most likely at my uncontrolled romanticism. "The three chosen duelists defeated Dartz and saved the world, saved all of us." A mixed sense of happiness and nostalgia washed over me; I hadn't seen that look for months, save for the images in my mind. "Sounds like just about every fantasy story you've ever heard," he continued lightly, "except this time it's real."

The corners of my mouth rose at his jest in spite of myself. "Kind of is, save the fact that I never thought I'd be the one to bring about the Apocalypse. Always had some vague hope I'd be the one trying to save everyone instead."

His expression changed at that, reminiscent of the one he would always wear when coaxing me to leave my darker memories behind. Perhaps, because that position was the one he was made to fill, even in death and beyond, like the guardian angel I'd always believed him to be. "You know you can't blame yourself for all these things you couldn't have ever had any control over." Yes, guardian angel here on Earth, that's what he was.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change what I did or how much I hurt other people. The fact that I was in control the whole time, knew exactly what I was doing, saw the fear on these innocent peoples' faces, and still hurt them without caring in even the slightest. I can't just forgive myself for that, and I can't possibly expect anyone else to either. What've I done to earn that type of forgiveness?" I admitted resignedly. "If I'd just stayed strong, not given in to weakness and hardship the way…" My voice trailed to a stop as I realized the words still silent at the tip of my tongue. The way Valon had taught me, had reminded me again. God, that was one of the worst parts. Realizing he'd been trying to make me remember the entire time, given me all the clues I needed to go so far as break free from Dartz and the Orichalcos and my past, and that I could've made attempts to fix it all. Knowing it all came down to my own weaknesses. But now wasn't the time. I pushed the thoughts back; seeing Corey again was still hard enough for my mind to process, and I simply wasn't ready to deal with my thoughts about the Australian yet. One thing at a time. No more rushing in blind.

"But it's all over anyways, isn't it?" Corey went on, understanding that that particular topic was one I didn't dare breach. "So you should just let your regrets go. Nobody here blames you for any of what happened. We understand."

I looked back at him skeptically, wanting to believe him in that but finding such a task difficult. My mistakes and remorse ran deeper than he could possibly know, so I tried desperately to change the subject. After all, both of us would prove too stubborn in our opinions to change them so easily, and I wasn't about to be so stupid as to waste away whatever time we had here over whether or not this was my fault or if I did actually deserve anybody's forgiveness. Luckily, a bit of wording caught my ear, and I latched onto it harder than any normal person had any right to fixate on something so minor. "Since when did you become 'we'?" At that, he floated aside, revealing the two older spirits behind him, two people I was glad I hadn't noticed up to this point. No way did I want to ruin our time together. "How did you…?"

"Guess that's the silver lining in being caught by some madman with a lust for power. You do meet people," he said a bit ruefully.

"I will not talk to those people," I replied coldly, spitting out the words venomously as more forgotten memories resurfaced. Another of the past, of that darkest time after I'd met Valon (a detail only now fit back into place) when the whip suddenly began it even more vicious descent. A young girl holding up a sparkling pendant only for her parents to snatch it violently from her hands, a seemingly greedy gesture, though the real intention wouldn't be discovered until years later, until the day she recovered the pendant itself. Automatically, my hand flew to the skin at my neck before realizing the golden chain was no longer there. I tore my eyes back to Corey aghast. "Don't you know who they are? That those are the people who singlehandedly ruined my life? I don't want anything to do with them."

"I know you don't, and I'm sure if I were in your position I'd be thinking the same thing. But please, just hear me out. We were trapped together for a while, and I can tell you I don't think it's exactly the same anymore. They truly seem sorry for what they did to you, or it seems so at the very least. Besides, doesn't everybody deserve a second chance?" That smile again, and his deeper meaning was obviously clear.

I let a nearly imperceptible nod slip, partly if only to stop from bringing up that same argument yet again, yet also knowing that I wanted, deep down, to believe him in that. That people could get second chances, whether they deserved them or not, because I certainly needed one as soon as this whole fiasco was over and done with. Steadily, I made my way nearer to them, taking a page from Alister's book, keeping my appearance emotionless and detached as the gap closed further.

Much too soon, my parents and I met in the middle where they promptly pulled me into their arms, forcing my mask to slip in the slightest. Who knew when the last time I'd actually seen any sort of sign of affection from them; I, for one, didn't. Funny thing is, I would've expected something so out of the ordinary to feel awkward or uncomfortable in at least some way, shape or form, yet it wasn't. It wasn't exactly natural, per se, but nor was it inherently wrong. Or I'd been through seen enough weird for more than a lifetime, so this just didn't quite weigh up anymore. Either way, I made no move back towards them, neither hugging nor pushing away, not disgusted but, for obvious reasons, not trusting yet either. Eventually they released me, and we floated back a few paces. "Oh, baby," my mother began in a too-sweet tone, "We're so sorry about everything we did to you. Now, we see now how wrong it was and how selfish we were. We just thought we were helping you, but it never occurred to us how much we were hurting you."

"Oh, really?" I countered sarcastically, "Only took years for you to figure out. Can't forget the yelling, crying and arguing either."

"We know, and you're completely right," my dad spoke now, and I flickered my attention over to him. "We never realized our wrongdoings until you actually left for college and never looked back. After that, well, it was hard to miss that we were the ones responsible for you wanting to leave so badly."

My mom took over the story effortlessly, this time speaking fully in earnest, no more of the melodramatic act of remorse. "Before then, we were blinded by our need to control your lives. Letting you see the rest of the world, interact with other people, would pull you away from us, make you into people we didn't want you to be."

By now I was truly listening. If nothing else, they did sound genuinely honest.

"That's why we were always so hard on you all the time. Somehow, we thought we could mold you into exactly the people we wanted you to be, and the world would undo the work we put into you," my father continued the recount. "It never occurred to us that you two would want everything so badly, and that the things you could become yourselves might still be ones we can be proud of. We never noticed that you hated us so much, not even after Drake left, and we threw ourselves harder onto you."

My attention piqued at that, at the name. My brother, whom I missed desperately and hadn't interacted with, heard from or even about in years. "Wait," I allowed my guard to drop a bit more. "Drake. Is he here? Have you seen him?"

Unfortunately, my parents shook their heads in defeat. "No, not since we assume you last did, though we too wish it were otherwise," my mother informed me as a heavy weight fell inside my chest. He'd been my confidant as a child, but had just disappeared off the grid, unwilling to put up with the pressure any longer. "We want to tell him everything like we did for you, though I suppose we were lucky enough for even this much, despite the circumstances. I know we can't force you to forgive us; we won't ever force you into anything anymore. I guess we just wanted to try and reconcile our mistakes, let you know that we are here for you now." I nodded, accepting their apology for the time being. "But we do need to find Drake, and soon; he deserves an explanation equally as much, and neither of us can guess how long it might take to find him." My parents floated closer together, taking each other's transparent hands. "Our door will always be open. If nothing else, please remember that." And, defying physics (though I wondered why, in this supernatural world I'd discovered, the rules of science meant a thing any longer), their spirits coalesced into two small white spheres, almost like the stars in the night sky, zipping off into the endless inky night together.

I continued watching, deep in thought over the unexpected reunion, as a hand laid itself on my shoulder, and I gripped it back fondly. "Alright, I guess I can't be too mad at you for talking to them, though it baffles me how you could've met anyone in that awful place."

"You'd be surprised," he answered me simply, and when I craned my head to better see him, he was clearly remembering something only he knew. At length, he spoke again. "Actually, your parents weren't the only ones I met back there. There was someone else who knows you." I frowned at him quizzically, trying to piece together who he might be talking about before realization dawned on me. He couldn't mean…? "Said he had met you as a kid and found you again in Paris after…" he trailed off, a flash of pain briefly twisting his features, never fully melting away even as he started again. "Also said he was still worried about you, hoped you wouldn't end up here too."

I let out a breath in resignation. He did mean… "You met Valon?"

"Yeah," he confirmed as I caught sight of two lights floating up and away in the far distance. "But whatever happens, he still loves you, whatever you might feel for him." So that's what I'd seen in his eyes in those last few moments before his soul had been ripped from his physical body: there were no hard feelings left anymore, just forgiveness for everything I'd done wrong, as if none of that mattered. But a question still hung in the air. "Taylor, you can be honest with me. Do you have feelings for him too?"

"I…" What was I supposed to say? My thoughts already oscillated in an insane state of limbo, trying to work out where I stood regarding my family, and now talking to Corey had only proven one thing. "I don't want to leave you. I - I do love him, but especially seeing you again, I don't know if it's right," I started, shocked at what I'd admitted.

"But you do know," he spoke in the same compassionate voice that could melt me into absolute submission, "that what we had, amazing as it was, isn't possible anymore, no matter how much you hold on. You can't keep living in the past forever, and, while I'm not saying to forget, you have a life I want you to keep living. Especially when there's someone out there who, I know, will never leave you, will always care."

"Are you really sure this is alright?" I asked, more for reassurance than to hear the answer I already knew.

"Trust me," he gently turned me to face him, revealing his genuine kindness. "You two need each other, now maybe even more, and you know I have no reservations about this. While I might have in life, all I need is for you to be happy, and he can give you that. Everything he feels for you is real, the same as what you think of him."

And I knew he was right, without a shade of doubt. "But what about you? What'll happen?"

'Don't worry about me. I'll always be with you, too." One last smile and, just like my parents, his image morphed into a bright, glowing ball of light, radiating warmth as it floated towards me, embedding itself into my chest. A pleasant heat flowed through my entire body, out to my fingertips, and I curled protectively around the spot where it had entered.

"Corey," I spoke his name to the limitless heavens above. Thank you.


	10. Coming Full Circle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't we all need closure?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I even trying on summaries anymore??

"Let's blow this taco stand!" An annoyingly high-pitched, nasal voice pierced through the endless darkness, a bullet shattering all traces of paradise. _Ugh._ _Shut up already._

"I thought this was a hospital!" _Halfwits, have you no respect for those of here who_ don't _want to hear your pointless bickering? Ever thought there might be people who actually want to sleep?_ But it was too late for that as I groaned slightly, rolling instinctively onto my side, having been jolted from unconsciousness by a couple of idiots. Admittedly, that was far from how I'd hoped to wake up; rather, a hearty plate of breakfast with a generous helping of bacon, steaming with fresh warmth, carried by someone who cared enough to go through the trouble, that would've been nice. Waking up to find even a familiar, friendly face; that I could've gone for. Then again, did I actually deserve that kind of kindness? Sure, other people seemed to think so, but, could I say I really agreed with that?

Either way, it didn't seem like that would've made a difference in this case.

I opened my eyes, blinking the hazy blurriness from my vision to find the sterile blank wall and décor of some nondescript hospital room. Disappointment fleeted through me; I guess, maybe I'd half hoped to somehow end up back in the beach house, somewhere I could at least begin to make amends, unlikely though it seemed for anything to go quite right at this exact point in time. Besides, heaven forbid if Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were actually there with me. The horror…

I grimaced at the last thought, more than thoroughly disgusted, pushing myself up gingerly from where I lay, expecting magic-worthy soreness to weigh down on my limbs but somehow finding none. Some odd aftereffect of having your soul ripped from your body, I suppose. Not that I was ever gonna figure out the real answer to that anyways. Unnaturally easily, I proceeded to rise to my feet, glancing around the blank space, searching out the few belongings I'd had with me when whoever had apparently saved me brought me here. Namely, my deck and duel disk. The motorcycle and helmet had still been left outside of Paradius anyways, and most all else of what I'd brought from Paris was gone now, with wherever the temple had disappeared off to. But, maybe that was a good thing. A real fresh start. Leaving the past in the past, thinking of the present, hoping for the future. Perhaps that was the right path, the one hidden for so long among all the others I'd attempted traversing, trying forever to escape. Perhaps this was the way to the life I'd pined for; it looked that way at least. For once, it seemed safe enough to hope, and actually believe that things might get better.

Silently, I made my way down the meticulously neat halls, passing by a room with a cursory glance, noticing Alister laid down inside, stirring but not yet come entirely to. But I continued on without missing a single beat. True, the two of us weren't on bad terms, even seeing eye to eye on certain topics in the past (particularly a one "Little Miss Loudmouth"), but I had no intention to speak with the aloof biker. After all, there was someone else I needed to see. For that matter, a matter of the heart, was far more urgent.

 

I turned the doorknob as the sun set, a warm and blazing crimson over the perfectly smooth glass of green-blue, unsurprised to find it unlocked as a salty breeze wafted through the windows. Yet, it was impossible, really, to keep from cringing at the sight. As much as I'd thought myself as come to terms with the events that had unfolded within these halls, it didn't make this revisit into something easy, uncomplicated. There was no erasing the past, never entirely, no matter what the means put into doing just that may be; if I'd learned only one thing from this entire venture, that would surely be vying for the top spot. One of the other lessons? That mistakes, while never eradicated from history, are nowhere near unforgivable, and new things, happier futures, will write over the tragedies of the past. I had forgiven my parents, allowed for a second chance and a new story to begin – now it was my turn to earn that forgiveness. And in no better place, at that, or it seemed that way on the surface, at least.

Everything appeared just about as we had left it the morning the two of us left from this place, weighed down by guilt and bitterness, respectively. Not a thing –the chairs, tables, even TV remotes—had moved even the slightest inch; I may well have stepped into that very evening we'd come here in the first place. Except, for one fundamental difference. The atmosphere. The silence. It permeated, eerie and complete, the sound of total emptiness, not a living soul to be found. Something akin to desperation rose in my chest as I strained my ears further, searching for even the slightest hint of something beyond the crackle of white noise.

No. No, he couldn't be gone. I had to see him; no way could I ever live with myself otherwise. The remorse, the blame I'd laid upon my own shoulders for inflicting such gut-wrenching pain on him, everything I'd done to him was beyond the realm of unforgivable. What even was that? Was that the reason? Fate striking one last blow: no place for me to earn that second chance, cursed forever to wander without closure? What then of Valon? Was that not in some way a punishment to him as well? Oh, who was I kidding? If he had any sense, he'd move on, find someone worthy of his affections, someone who would never cause him hurt. The only problem – Valon didn't have that kind of sense. That kid who fought against impossibly stacked odds and won, who opened his heart to the two most tightly sealed-off people he could ever come across, he didn't have common sense, and perhaps that would do him right in the end, somehow. Fate wouldn't dare punish him, and even if it had, well then, he wouldn't lie down in submission, and I was joining in that fight. I was going to find him, and nothing was stopping that. No stone was going unturned

Padding carefully up the stairs, something inside refused to give up on the lingering thread of hope that, perhaps, he was, in fact, still here. That, just maybe, I might be lucky enough to rule a worldwide search as unnecessary. There were, after all, possibilities. The effects of the Orichalcos may not have worn off, his physical body still exhausted given the beating it had received at the hands of his duel against Wheeler, in which case I had no immediate plans to leave his side until I might see wide orbs of cerulean blue. Far-fetched, but undoubtedly worth a shot. The all-too familiar door faced me as I gulped uneasily – coming to terms with things didn't always make it simple to face them. Gently, I pushed the door open a crack, peering in cautiously before entering fully, a small stone dropping in my stomach. Fresh wind greeted me, blowing the thin white curtains into an airy dance. The sheets on the bed lay rumpled, unkempt, as bits of armor were haphazardly deposited on a chair nearby the thrown open drawers. Above all, it was empty.

With a sigh, I walked closer to the bed, lowering myself to my knees resignedly, my left hand running itself over the mattress and pillow. Warm, a subtle and lingering heat. Someone had been here, in this bed, within the hour, more likely less. To think, I'd just barely missed him. With a shake of the head, I sat back on my haunches, other hand laying itself lightly on the nightstand. A few minutes, and that might have made all the difference. There was no way to say now. And no way to know where to start looking. He could've booked a flight anywhere, ridden anywhere, and the entire search equated to finding a needle in a haystack. I knew I couldn't give up – wouldn't give up – but some clue, a sign, would have been nice.

Without thinking about it, I began drumming my fingers against the tabletop, the steady rhythm helping to provide some possible starting places, whatever they were. There was Australia, but where might he have gone…? The train of thought immediately skidded to a halt, the feel of a polished wooden surface, one elevated from the rest of the table, beneath my fingertips, drawing my attention to the right. My eyes widened ever so slightly. Of course. The answer, so obvious. How hadn't I realized it before?

I ran down the stairs at a break-neck speed, rushed out the front door as it slammed shut behind me.

The only place he had to go back to.

Home.

 

Everything around me still looked the same as I slowed to a rolling stop in the city I'd once been able to call home. The buildings just as old and close together, forcing the narrow roads into gloomy shadow. The air still smelled stale, save for the sanctuary of space surrounding the small church. Even that modest building itself, since rebuilt after Dartz's cursed fire, still resembled the one living forever in my memories.

But, not everything was so frozen in time, so unaffected by its passing. The setting may have looked good near the same, but the boy standing before me was far from the one I'd met as a child, could attest to all those changes the same as I could. Our spot in the garden was all but gone by now, new children likely playing in these gases, watched over by an unfamiliar face. It just wasn't the same anymore, and neither were we.

Clothed now in a red leather jacket and dark jeans, traces of Paradius stripped away, Valon didn't turn as I approached, offering no indication as to whether he had even heard my arrival, startlingly loud on the silent street. Not a muscle moved, yet I was certain he was perfectly aware of my presence; life on the streets and in a prison certainly left their mark. I strode to his side, never shattering the fragile quiet, hands stuffed deep into my pockets, a grounding force in its own odd way.

"Funny, isn' it?" Valon finally ventured, never once taking his eyes from his former home. "We'd both end up righ' where we first started."

I nodded. "Like coming full circle or something. Beginnings and endings and all that stuff."

A light laugh escaped his lips, relieving the tension in the slightest. "Yeah, it really is. Now tha' you're 'ere too." He turned to face me full on, and the same tension began building a wall up between us, tempering his words. "'m jus' glad you're safe, is all."

"And you?" I asked the question immediately, for the whole point of this, if nothing else, was to ensure I could atone for the mistakes I'd made, the pain I'd inflicted. "Are you okay? You…and Mai?" The last part came out choked, more out of discomfort than contempt, however. The Orichalcos had played with all of us, I knew now, and blame shouldn't be placed so hastily in light of that.

He shook his head, poofy brown hair bouncing with the movement. "I don' rightly know. She was gone by the time I woke up. Figured she went ta go find Wheeler." A cloud passed over his normally jovial features as he descended further into thought.

"And… you miss her; you wish she'd stayed?" I treaded cautiously, choosing my words carefully, unsure of how exactly to breach this topic.

"Well, yeah, course I do, but…" he trailed off, shrugging as if this was something to be ignored, "don' worry; it's nothin'."

"Valon, don't even try that on me," I insisted, though there was little force behind my words. He'd seen more suffering that any teenager – any person – ever deserved; he didn't need any more. "You don't have to keep this to yourself anymore."

"I dunno Taylor, I –"

"Please, Valon," I pushed. Did that make me an awful person? Maybe. But I had to know, had to do right this time around. "It's like you taught me, remember? Letting people in?"

His eyes searched mine for a moment, and he sighed heavily. "Alrigh'. I guess if ya really wanna know." A short pause. "After we got back ta Paradius, I figured you wouldn' want me anyways, 'specially after everythin' you said about your boyfriend 'n' all. I knew I couldn' give ya tha'." I tried to interrupt, tried to say how entirely wrong he was about that, but never got the chance as he went on. "So I tried again wi' Mai. I knew it'd be a long shot, but if I couldn' 'ave you, anythin's better than bein' alone again."

The huge weight of guilt dropped in my gut once more, threatened to pull me down through the asphalt. My fault. "Valon," I tried, but made no ground.

"Doesn' seem like I've got much o' a choice, though, does it? She still loves Wheeler; I 'eard 'er at the end o' our duel," he spoke mostly to himself, "Guess 'm just not good 'nough for anyone."

"No, don't you dare say that. You're kind and sweet and more than either of us ever deserved in a friend. And I swear I'm not just saying that, okay? You can't blame any of this on yourself. I can't speak for Mai or anything, but I know this is all because of me. That's why I'm here; to make it right, whatever I can, to do things different." The light of hope resurfaced, sparkling in sapphire blue eyes, sign enough for me to explain. "After our souls were freed, I wasn't exactly there alone. Corey, he was there with me… and… it's – it wasn't easy, I'm not gonna lie. Thing is, he finally got me to realize that I couldn't keep holding onto that; that I had to move on. There's other things, other people, to live for, and he'd never really be gone."

Valon nodded. "I'm 'appy for you. Really. I met 'im while we were trapped in there. Was really worried 'bout ya. I can tell 'e's a right genuine bloke."

I smiled back a bit, wryly. "He said the same thing about you too, you know."

"''e did?" Valon questioned back, surprise clearly evident in his widened eyes.

"How could he not? He could see your sincerity, loyalty, love, same as I can. I didn't want to admit that before, but," I took a breath, trying to slow my suddenly racing heart. Here it was. "I can't hide that anymore. Not from myself, not from you."

His eyes began lightening as he picked up the meaning behind my words. "So, you're sayin'…?" Hope flowed freely through him, much as he seemed to try and safeguard himself from its heavy risks. Risks I had no plans to let befall him this time around, for I was not making the same mistake twice.

"Yes, that's what I mean. I don't know when; I just refused to accept it at first, and the part of me holding on to the past thought it was wrong. But now I get it. You're not just a friend I've known for a couple weeks, but a lot more than that, someone at the very beginning who got me through all the miserable things when I needed it." I glanced back meaningfully at the Church, visualizing our first encounter in my mind's eye. "You're not some perfect angel sent from above, but I wouldn't want it any other way."

He smiled – really, fully smiled this time – and took up the metaphor. "Neither of us are. We've both made our fair share o' mistakes, but we've got our moments, too." At that, he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out something small, metallic and shining as it dangled freely. "I suspect you 'ad somethin' to do wi' my endin' up back 'ome since this was left wi' me." The golden cross swung back and forth from his fingertips, catching the last few rays of the golden, setting sun.

"Then you'd be right. I thought it best to return it to where it came from."

Valon took a couple steps closer to me, confident and sure in his stride, thankfully. Things were returning to as they should be. "Well, 'ow 'bout I put it back where it belongs?" Deftly, he undid the clasp, refastening it around my neck, the cool metal pressing into its usual place against my skin. As the pendant settled into place, his warm handed grasped onto mine, and I had no intention of pulling it away. "Y'know, I found that for ya 'cause I kinda liked you then, too, even though I didn' really know wha' that meant. I think I was sorta 'opin' you'd like me back."

"Interesting how all these things work out in the end, isn't it?" The space between us tightened further, the warmth of his breath tickling my cheeks.

"It is kinda funny, isn' it?" He paused a moment, letting it all sink in. "I love you, Taylor."

"And I love you too, Valon." My heart picked up again from its already frantic pace, though this time out of nervous excitement, without a trace of the fear which had sent it racing just earlier. Brushing lips, that barrier keeping us apart pressed into nothingness as we could finally find love out of turmoil, back in the place where it all began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, by the way, what Valon is referencing at the end of his and Joey's duel, and about Mai loving Joey: in the Japanese dub, Mai yells Joey's name during that big, final clash. I used that cause I think it's way better than the English dub ("It's a draw!" Really?)


	11. New Lives and New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, fluff, fluff. What more have I to say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So FYI, my brother gave me an idea for a thing that happens in this chapter. It's unrealistic (you'll know when you get there) but I figure this is YuGiOh; unrealistic is fine.

My hand stilled over the page of paper as I incessantly tapped the end of my pencil in thought. Fine droplets of water misted over me as the Seine River rippled with the fiery orange of sunset, temporarily dispelling the smoky smell lingering in the air, but offering up none of the answers I truly needed. Begrudgingly, I dropped the pencil onto the open book in my lap, leaning back on the bench laid on the banks of the waters.

Honestly now, who in their right minds would decide to make statistics a required course? It wasn't even a math class! Just plugging a whole lot of stuff into a calculator and trying to interpret the random numbers it spits back out. Complete waste of time. Truthfully, I'd seriously considered burning the whole book. The only reason I hadn't was thanks to a moment of clarity (and realization of finances) which had brought me down to the river, far from any and all methods of setting the pages aflame. Having no desire to start up working again, I closed my eyes, relishing in the last few rays of sunlight and longing for the still-light 9 o'clock of summer days, stuck now with the earlier onset of darkness common to the fall. The remnants of lingering heat felt comforting on my skin; that is, until a warm pair of arms slipped around my neck and I leaned into the embrace, all other thoughts forgotten for the moment.

"Evenin', love."

"Hey, Valon," I opened my eyes to peer into crystal blue brimming with a mischievous excitement. "Glad to see you."

"Yeah, same 'ere. I 'aven't seen ya all day. Whatcha doin' 'ere all by yourself?"

I gestured flippantly to my studies, still haphazardly spread across my lap. "Studying. I do have work that has to get done, you know, no matter how much I hate it with a passion."

"Then why'd ya 'ave to take it?" he asked, almost too innocently. "You should 'ave a little fun 'n' do what you want." A cocky grin crossed over his features. "'ow 'bout you come wi' me instead?"

I sent back an expression of mock disapproval in response. "I do need to study this stuff if I want to pass these classes and everything, and unless you wanna –" A quick peck on my lips immediately killed any of the already flimsy arguments on the spot. "…But I do suppose a distraction couldn't hurt much."

A joyful laugh. "Good." He reached around my shoulders to flip the book closed, the pages compacting with a hearty thump. "'Cause I'm takin' ya out today," he announced, coming to my side and gripping my hand. "An' trust me," he added with a sly, confident grin, "you're gonna love this."

"I'd be surprised if I didn't." I stood, the two of us meandering slowly to our bikes standing side by side only a short distance away. "Knowing you, whatever you've got planned is gonna be exciting. If it doesn't turn into a disaster first," I teased, having very quickly discovered his knack for getting into trouble in even the simplest of situations.

"Oh really? Tha's wha' you think?" he feigned hurt as I nudged him playfully with my shoulder, both of us straddling our bikes.

"Kinda, yeah. Coke and Mentos ring a bell?"

"Hey, tha' was an accident!"

"Isn't it always?"

"Fine, but I promise this time'll be better. No accidents."

"You swear?"

"I swear."

"Eh, still got doubts."

"You're startin' to sound like Alister."

"Hey!"

"Well, ya are!"

"I take offense, so to fix that, I'll agree," I confirmed, though we both knew that's how the conversation would end regardless – any procrastination I could take from _that_ class I would welcome, even if it didn't involve Valon, "just a quick detour first, okay?"

"But Taylor…" he whined, pulling his best interpretation of a puppy dog face.

"Trust me, unless you want this," I held up the textbook in one hand, "coming between us, you'll be glad I had this foresight." He shrugged, and we pulled on our helmets, racing away from the river.

By the time we returned, rushing nearer to the heart of historic Paris, night had fallen, dark blanket dotted with stars decorating the sky. At Valon's decision, we parked our bikes at a seemingly random street, him grabbing onto my hand and leading me down the sidewalk lined with small shops and cafes, lit by little more than the antiquated streetlamps. Nice, but a bit domestic. Not that there was anything inherently wrong with domestic, but this was Valon; domestic didn't seem his speed. "I've gotta say, I never thought understated was really your style."

He turned back to me, question in his eye. "What?"

"This." I gestured with my free hand. "You've usually got some whole spectacle planned or something. Not that I'm complaining now. Just noticed."

"Yeah? Well, this time, I guess I gotta warn ya, I'm not gonna be tryin' to add anythin' to what I got planned. I swear it doesn' need tha'."

"Oh, really?" I questioned as we continued passing on by the street-side stores. "Alright, I'm intrigued. Why is that?"

He grinned before lifting our entwined hands and briefly laying a kiss on my skin. "'fraid I can't tell you all that, love. It'd ruin the surprise, 'specially 'cause I'm sure you've never seen this before."

I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I find that hard to believe. I've been around this city quite a bit longer than you have, you know."

"Then 'ow 'bout we find out who's right?" He stopped walking and turned his attention forward as I followed suit, taking in the surroundings, deducing easily where he had taken us.

"The Arc de Triomphe?" What in the world was he talking about? I'd been to this place more times than I could honestly count, and he knew that, surely.

He nodded, his excitement more than a little obvious as he pulled me across the deserted square to stand directly beneath the monument. "Now, I know you've been 'ere before, and the place means a lot to ya, but I think I've found an even better view than down 'ere," he explained cryptically before releasing my hand and heading to one of the legs of the arch.

Very real concern decided to flit through me at that point, despite his earlier reassurances. This wasn't food, after all, or some random, replaceable appliance which could be broken, but a national treasure; should things go wrong, I didn't even want to imagine those consequences. "Should I be worried?"

"Course not. Just watch this." He pushed back one of the outwardly decorative square tiles and, to my surprise, the stone itself recessed slightly. Only a couple seconds later and I was rendered speechless as a small, rectangular doorway opened to reveal the hollowed-out interior of the leg. "Judgin' by the look on you face, I'd 'ave to say I was right. You 'aven't seen this before."

"For once, I think I'm glad to be wrong." I ventured toward the opening, marveling at the discovery. "How did you find this?"

His expression brightened further with the addition of an animated grin. "Like ya said: I tend to find trouble, 'xcept this time I thought I'd broken somethin' an' got this 'nstead." He stepped confidently into the dark hollow, looking back. "Wanna come?"

"Why wouldn't I?" And we hurried up a spiraling staircase built inside and rising to the top, where Valon lifted the cover above our heads, allowing us to ascend into the cool evening air.

All the while, I could only wonder how this could have been kept a secret for so long.

The stars shone impossibly brighter in the inky black sky above, tiny pinpricks of silvery light as the moon glowed palely in space. Earthbound, the city lay sprawled out before me. Sure, it didn't have quite the same range as the view from, say, the Eiffel Tower, but this spot meant far more than a ride to the tallest point in this part of the land. Especially with the sweet Australian boy sitting now, leaned back on his hands, legs draped casually over the edge and bright blue eyes focused on me rather than the sights below. And that's all that really mattered at this point.

"Valon, this is remarkable," I mused, settling down next to him. "I don't even know what I can begin to say."

"Then you don' 'ave to say anythin'. Just bein' 'ere with you's enough for me. More than I ever coulda wished for before."

"Yeah, but you've always deserved it for everything you went through. Even if that meant you ended up with Mai. Sure, I wouldn't be all on board with that for obvious reasons, but if that would've made you happy in the end, that's all that matters."

"Like you don't deserve 'appiness too? Ya know I don' believe in fate or any o' tha' kinda stuff, but I got a feelin' this was 'ow it was supposed to turn out. The two o' us." He looked down briefly, almost sheepishly, in a way I could never have imagined before that moment. "I know I 'aven't told ya this yet, but, even though Dartz tried to take our mem'ries, I still kinda remembered when we met. It meant a lot ta me, 'n', I mean, I kinda liked you back then, too. I was sorta 'opin' I'd get ta see you again, 'til the fire, but," he shrugged casually, meeting my eyes again, nothing but true content in his, "'ere we are anyways."

Realization came suddenly at that. "So that's why you helped me that day, isn't it? Down by the river."

"Yeah, I knew you looked familiar, but it wasn' 'til I saw tha' necklace I left for ya when we were kids. Tha's when things started comin' back. When I took ya to the beach 'ouse, I already knew, 'n' I thought you did too. Wish now tha' I'd told ya, but, guess I can't do anythin' 'bout it now."

"And besides, it all worked out for the best. For both of us." I took his closest hand firmly in my left, meaning to reinforce that last thought and the truth in it, only for him to glance down in slight, but apparent, surprise. "Valon? Something wrong?"

"Nah," he answered, nonchalant and laid-back yet again, "I jus' didn' think you still 'ad this thing." He lifted my hand to eye level, the ring set on my finger throwing back moonlight with an eerie flash of green.

I made no move to pull my hand away as he glided his thumb across the cracked gemstone surface. "I know, but I figured, for all the bad it did, it did help me keep on living, in a way. I mean, it guided me back to you, after all. And anyways, not like it can do that much harm anymore, right? Dartz is gone, and so is the Orichalcos."

"Yeah, I'm jus' glad all tha' Orichalcos stuff's over. 'n' besides, I've got everythin' I want right 'ere." The teasing smile reappeared, exuberant attitude coming right back. "'cept of course the view from all the way up there," he added humorously, nodding to the iconic tower now illuminated with white lights.

"Only we'd be waiting in some forty minute line to go up with a bunch of people we don't know," I felt inclined to point out.

Now he grabbed onto my hand fully, warming it with his own. "You've got a point there, love. But it's not like there's anythin' wrong wi' tryin' somethin' new, right?"

"I should've known you'd say something like that." Watching the blinking lights of Paris, I laid my head onto his shoulder, feeling the tickle of his fluffy brown spikes on my cheek. "But I suppose you're right. This _is_ like starting over. Like a new beginning. Who knows what might happen?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! That's all for now, folks. Thanks to whoever stuck through this whole thing, it means more to me than I can ever put into words.  
> Now, to the future. I'll admit, this isn't my best work (it was basically all written two and a half years ago, and I'd like to think I'm a little better by now) and so at some point, it may be due for some cleaning up. When I've got time (time? what's that??). Plus, there is a sequel in the works; that'll be posted in this same series at some point. I've also got a Christmas oneshot that was promised a year ago but never got done, so that'll actually be posted this time. Beyond that, I'm planning some other oneshots to fill in the characterization gaps that I didn't fulfill in this one. Mostly just random stuff, so if anyone wants to request something, that'd be cool too.  
> Thanks all!! Wishing everyone the best!  
> -niennavalier


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